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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 · plane · mouse · march · pop · nail · kick · spell

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pop — soda
  5. march — the month
  6. plane — a tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. spell — a short time
  9. kick — in football
  10. march — music
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. spell — magic
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pop — to visit
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. spell — letters
  21. mark — a grade
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pop — music
  24. march — the month

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