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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: squash · charge · pit · trunk · track · nail · foot · ground

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. track — a song
  5. pit — in a race
  6. squash — the sport
  7. track — a path
  8. charge — electricity
  9. ground — crushed
  10. pit — a hole
  11. ground — a position
  12. squash — to crush
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. charge — in control
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ground — the earth
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. track — to keep track
  24. charge — a price

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