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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: sharp · mark · stand · can · foot · temple · game · nail

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. can — to be able to
  3. stand — to bear
  4. can — a tin
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. can — a tin
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. sharp — clever
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. foot — a measure
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a match
  15. mark — a trace
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mark — a grade
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. foot — the bottom

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