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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: rock · rest · object · ground · swing · foot · bay · hand

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. swing — music
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. object — a thing
  7. rest — what's left
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. rock — a stone
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — a position
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. hand — help
  15. object — an aim
  16. rest — what's left
  17. swing — to play on
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. rock — music
  20. ground — crushed
  21. hand — in cards
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. object — to protest

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