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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: rock · nail · chest · stand · ruler · last · foot · deal

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. stand — to bear
  4. chest — of your body
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. chest — a box
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. chest — of your body
  9. rock — music
  10. foot — a measure
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. last — final
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. last — finally
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. last — to go on
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. deal — to handle
  24. nail — for a hammer

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