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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: mark · cabinet · march · foot · nail · rest · rush · band

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. march — music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a music group
  15. rest — a break
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. foot — a measure
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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