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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: object · nail · fine · bulb · foot · net · pitcher · lie

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bulb — for light
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — in sport
  9. object — an aim
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. lie — to recline
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — a measure
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. nail — for a hammer

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