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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: toast · hide · drill · foot · racket · stick · fine · ground

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. toast — bread
  8. ground — the earth
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. drill — army training
  11. fine — all right
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fine — high quality
  20. ground — a position
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. ground — crushed

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