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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · foot · land · can · tear · kick · stand · board

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. can — a tin
  7. stand — to bear
  8. foot — a measure
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. can — a tin
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. land — ground
  16. land — a country
  17. board — to get on
  18. tear — to rip
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. tear — from crying
  22. kick — in football
  23. tear — from crying
  24. board — a committee

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