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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
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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: bulb · track · foot · mate · cap · mine · toast · nail

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. track — a song
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. track — a path
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mate — a partner
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mate — to breed
  17. foot — a measure
  18. cap — a hat
  19. toast — bread
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bulb — for light
  22. track — to keep track
  23. cap — of ice
  24. mate — a friend

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