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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: foot · rush · march · nail · temple · mate · lean · fork

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rush — hurry
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. mate — a partner
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fork — in a road
  10. mate — a friend
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lean — thin
  15. mate — to breed
  16. march — music
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. march — the month
  23. foot — a measure
  24. march — the month

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