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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 120 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: can · nail · bore · land · foot · temple · spell · rock

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. land — to come down
  5. can — a tin
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bore — to tire
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bore — to drill
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. spell — a short time
  14. can — a tin
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. land — a country
  17. spell — letters
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. rock — music
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. spell — magic
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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