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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: mark · snap · ruler · bulb · nail · stem · lie · face

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. snap — to click
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mark — a grade
  7. face — part of the head
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bulb — for light
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. face — to confront
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stem — to come from
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. face — to point toward
  24. stem — of a plant

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