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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: present · nail · net · degree · foot · tube · can · cabinet

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. can — a tin
  4. tube — a container
  5. degree — temperature
  6. foot — a measure
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. present — a gift
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. present — there
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. degree — from a university
  14. net — after costs
  15. present — the time now
  16. tube — the underground
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. degree — an amount
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. can — a tin
  21. net — in sport
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. can — to be able to
  24. net — for catching

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