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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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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: firm · mug · foot · fall · land · tear · rest · nail

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mug — a cup
  3. firm — steady
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. firm — decided
  8. tear — from crying
  9. foot — a measure
  10. tear — from crying
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rest — what's left
  15. firm — a company
  16. land — ground
  17. tear — to rip
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. land — to come down
  22. fall — the season
  23. land — a country
  24. fall — to drop

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