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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fork — in a road
  6. cue — a hint
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fall — the season
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fall — to drop
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rock — music
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. fork — a garden tool

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