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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: cabinet · snap · temple · nail · drill · wave · foot · land

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — army training
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. land — a country
  10. foot — a measure
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. land — to come down
  20. land — ground
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. drill — the tool
  23. snap — to click
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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