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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: bulb · nail · coach · spell · perch · mark · foot · hide

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. foot — part of the body
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spell — a short time
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mark — a trace
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. foot — a measure
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. spell — letters
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. spell — magic
  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