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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fork — in a road
  5. deal — to handle
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. track — to keep track
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. saw — the tool
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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