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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: key · foot · hand · mark · wave · bulb · rush · net

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. hand — help
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. key — in music
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. net — in sport
  7. foot — a measure
  8. mark — a trace
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — for catching
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bulb — for light
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bulb — for light
  22. key — for a lock
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. mark — a grade

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