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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
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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: chair · mark · ground · bulb · cap · rock · nail · hide

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bulb — for light
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. cap — of ice
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mark — a trace
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rock — music
  19. ground — crushed
  20. chair — a leader
  21. rock — a stone
  22. ground — the earth
  23. cap — a lid
  24. ground — a position

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