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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: saw · key · land · kick · pop · jam · object · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. kick — in football
  3. key — the most important part
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. pop — music
  6. foot — a measure
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. pop — soda
  9. saw — the tool
  10. land — ground
  11. key — in music
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. key — for a lock
  14. land — to come down
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. pop — to visit
  21. land — a country
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. saw — the tool

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