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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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: mark · game · cap · cell · foot · nail · bore · pitcher

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cap — of ice
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. foot — a measure
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mark — a grade
  12. game — a match
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cell — in biology
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bore — to tire
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. cell — a phone
  22. game — wild animals
  23. mark — a trace
  24. cap — a lid

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