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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: stick · pit · bowl · ball · nail · foot · saw · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. object — an aim
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. foot — a measure
  17. object — to protest
  18. saw — the tool
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. saw — the tool
  24. nail — on a finger

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