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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: temple · board · stick · mine · pitch · spell · nail · foot

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  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. pitch — completely
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — a committee
  4. spell — a short time
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. spell — magic
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. board — to get on
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. foot — a measure
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. mine — for digging
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. spell — letters
  23. foot — the bottom
  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