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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: staff · rule · face · kick · foot · season · nail · object

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. face — to confront
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. kick — in football
  9. object — a thing
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — in sport
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rule — government
  17. face — to point toward
  18. staff — a stick
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. season — of the year
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. staff — employees
  23. foot — a measure
  24. staff — employees

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