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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 · nail · cell · stand · pop · staff · club · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pop — to visit
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — soda
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cell — a phone
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — a measure
  14. cell — in biology
  15. staff — a stick
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. staff — employees
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. staff — employees
  22. club — a group
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. club — for golf

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