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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 · net · march · fine · firm · ground · tear · track

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. tear — from crying
  3. fine — high quality
  4. track — a path
  5. firm — a company
  6. ground — crushed
  7. net — for catching
  8. march — the month
  9. firm — decided
  10. foot — a measure
  11. track — a song
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ground — the earth
  14. tear — to rip
  15. firm — steady
  16. net — in sport
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. ground — a position
  19. fine — all right
  20. march — music
  21. net — after costs
  22. march — the month
  23. track — to keep track
  24. tear — from crying

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