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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · court · leaves · nail · dip · stand · land · foot

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. court — for sport
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. dip — to sink
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. foot — a measure
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. court — of a king
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. land — a country
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. stand — to bear
  20. court — of law
  21. rule — a law
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. rule — government
  24. land — to come down

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