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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: leaves · foot · plane · board · nail · spring · saw · kick

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. spring — of water
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. board — to get on
  7. saw — the tool
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. spring — the season
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. foot — a measure
  18. saw — the tool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. plane — a tool
  21. spring — a coil
  22. board — a committee
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. kick — in football

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