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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · deal · nail · bay · dip · rest · board · rush

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rest — what's left
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — to sink
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. board — to get on
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. board — a committee
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. foot — a measure

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com