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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 · foot · arm · rule · wound · nail · land · leaves

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. land — a country
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. land — to come down
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. foot — a measure
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rule — government
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. land — ground
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rule — a law

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