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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: board · can · shower · foot · object · rest · file · spring

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. file — a line of people
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. object — a thing
  9. shower — to wash
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — a coil
  12. board — to get on
  13. rest — what's left
  14. shower — rain
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — an aim
  17. board — a committee
  18. file — a tool
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. spring — the season
  21. foot — a measure
  22. rest — what's left
  23. file — a document
  24. rest — a break

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