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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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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: prune · deal · chest · dip · foot · nail · stick · perch

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. dip — to sink
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. prune — to trim
  11. chest — of your body
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. perch — the fish
  21. chest — of your body
  22. deal — to handle
  23. chest — a box
  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