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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.

Make a worksheet

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: straw · stand · nail · object · foot · coach · content · plane

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stand — to bear
  8. content — happy
  9. object — a thing
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. content — the amount
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. object — an aim
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. plane — a tool
  22. object — to protest
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. content — videos and posts

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