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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: band · pit · lean · mine · rock · nail · board · foot

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mine — for digging
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. pit — in a race
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. board — a committee
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. band — a music group
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rock — music
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. board — to get on
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. band — a ring
  24. lean — thin

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