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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 120 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: nail · spell · march · lean · stick · cabinet · court · foot

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. march — the month
  3. court — of a king
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. lean — thin
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. spell — a short time
  14. march — music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. court — for sport
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. court — of law
  22. lean — to bend
  23. foot — a measure
  24. march — the month

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