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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: face · calf · foot · nail · march · bore · mark · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. face — to point toward
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. face — part of the head
  6. foot — a measure
  7. march — the month
  8. bulb — for light
  9. face — to confront
  10. mark — a trace
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bore — to tire
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. march — the month
  21. bore — to drill
  22. march — music
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mark — to pay attention

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