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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: mine · pass · foot · nail · rule · can · swing · pitch

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. swing — to play on
  3. rule — government
  4. swing — music
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. can — a tin
  19. mine — for digging
  20. rule — a law
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. swing — in golf
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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