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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: foot · fall · stock · saw · pound · hide · can · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fall — the season
  5. pound — a weight
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. can — a tin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. can — a tin
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. fall — to drop
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. can — to be able to
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — goods
  23. fall — to drop
  24. saw — the tool

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