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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: firm · foot · date · nail · drill · stick · net · ruler

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — the tool
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. net — for catching
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. foot — a measure
  14. date — the fruit
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. net — after costs
  18. firm — a company
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — decided
  22. net — in sport
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. drill — a practice

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