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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 120 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
468
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: cell · pitcher · trunk · bound · leaves · fork · nail · foot

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — in biology
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bound — tied together
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. fork — in a road
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. cell — a phone
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bound — certain
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bound — obliged
  22. foot — a measure
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fork — a garden tool

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