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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 · content · roll · bore · stick · ground · firm · nail

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. firm — a company
  4. roll — a cake
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. content — happy
  9. roll — a list
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. ground — the earth
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bore — to tire
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. content — the amount
  17. ground — a position
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bore — to drill
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. firm — steady
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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