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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.

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: pop · drill · bear · fine · foot · chair · arm · nail

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. pop — music
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. foot — a measure
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pop — to visit
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. drill — the tool
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bear — the animal
  12. drill — army training
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bear — the animal
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. pop — soda
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. chair — a leader

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