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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. game — wild animals
  10. cue — a hint
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a song
  13. fork — in a road
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cue — a signal
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cue — for pool
  23. track — a path
  24. ruler — a monarch

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