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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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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: pound · arm · plane · nail · foot · race · kick · mate

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. kick — in football
  7. foot — a measure
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mate — a partner
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — the arms race
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mate — a friend
  24. nail — on a finger

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