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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: pass · foot · charge · nail · field · sharp · wind · mate

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. wind — moving air
  4. mate — a friend
  5. charge — a price
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. foot — a measure
  8. field — a subject
  9. charge — in control
  10. mate — to breed
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. pass — a permit
  15. charge — electricity
  16. field — farmland
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. field — for sport
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mate — a partner
  24. sharp — with an edge

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