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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: mark · net · spell · band · kick · hide · nail · season

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spell — a short time
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. season — in sport
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. mark — a grade
  14. net — in sport
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. net — after costs
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a ring
  19. spell — letters
  20. kick — in football
  21. spell — magic
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. season — of the year
  24. net — for catching

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