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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: dip · leaves · foot · nail · bay · can · fan · spring

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spring — of water
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. spring — a coil
  9. can — a tin
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. spring — the season
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. can — a tin
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. foot — a measure

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