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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.

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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: foot · land · rash · object · board · mug · nail · net

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. mug — a cup
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — a thing
  5. rash — hasty
  6. board — to get on
  7. land — to come down
  8. net — for catching
  9. land — a country
  10. land — ground
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. rash — a series
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. board — a committee
  21. mug — a face
  22. object — to protest
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mug — to rob

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