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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: land · trunk · bay · rock · content · firm · foot · deal

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. firm — a company
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. land — a country
  11. firm — steady
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. land — ground
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. land — to come down
  17. content — happy
  18. deal — to handle
  19. rock — music
  20. firm — decided
  21. content — the amount
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rock — a stone

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