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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: roll · foot · bank · hand · cabinet · content · stand · key

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. roll — a cake
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. foot — a measure
  6. content — happy
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. hand — help
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — the amount
  15. bank — of a river
  16. stand — to bear
  17. roll — a list
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bank — for money
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. bank — for money
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. hand — in cards
  24. key — in music

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