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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 116 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. rock — a stone
  3. staff — employees
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. staff — a stick
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — the underground
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. staff — employees
  22. fork — in a road
  23. rock — music
  24. wound — an injury

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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