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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: coach · firm · nail · can · ball · kick · season · foot

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. firm — decided
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. can — a tin
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. season — of the year
  11. firm — steady
  12. foot — a measure
  13. kick — in football
  14. firm — a company
  15. ball — a dance
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. season — in sport
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. can — to be able to
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. can — a tin

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