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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.

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: foot · racket · nail · land · rule · jam · bay · can

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. can — a tin
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. can — to be able to
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. rule — a law
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rule — government
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. land — a country
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. can — a tin
  21. land — to come down
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. racket — for tennis

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