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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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468
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: bulb · wound · mark · ball · can · stem · mine · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. can — a tin
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. can — to be able to
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ball — a great time
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. ball — a dance
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. stem — to come from

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