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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: foot · lie · board · net · bulb · spell · nail · mark

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. net — after costs
  4. mark — a grade
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spell — magic
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. net — for catching
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lie — to recline
  15. board — to get on
  16. net — in sport
  17. spell — a short time
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. board — a committee
  20. spell — letters
  21. mark — a trace
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. nail — on a finger

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