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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: hand · face · nail · cap · foot · arm · roll · suit

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cap — a hat
  5. roll — a list
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. face — part of the head
  8. foot — a measure
  9. cap — of ice
  10. suit — in cards
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — in cards
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cap — a lid
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. suit — clothes
  17. roll — a cake
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. face — to point toward
  22. suit — to fit
  23. face — to confront
  24. hand — help

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