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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 120 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: pound · nail · kid · foot · rule · spell · can · staff

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. can — to be able to
  4. spell — a short time
  5. rule — a law
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. kid — child
  8. spell — magic
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. rule — government
  12. staff — employees
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. kid — to tease
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. spell — letters
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. staff — employees
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. pound — a weight
  21. can — a tin
  22. foot — a measure
  23. can — a tin
  24. nail — for a hammer

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