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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.

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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: firm · foot · lean · pitcher · land · mug · fork · nail

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. mug — a face
  5. lean — to bend
  6. land — to come down
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mug — a cup
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. lean — thin
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. firm — a company
  14. mug — to rob
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. foot — a measure
  17. firm — decided
  18. land — ground
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. firm — steady
  23. land — a country
  24. nail — for a hammer

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