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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: foot · fall · track · nail · field · root · chip · object

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. object — a thing
  5. foot — a measure
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. chip — to eat
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. root — of a word
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. field — a subject
  13. fall — the season
  14. track — a song
  15. track — to keep track
  16. root — the cause
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. chip — for betting
  20. field — for sport
  21. fall — to drop
  22. root — of a plant
  23. field — farmland
  24. track — a path

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