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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. fork — in a road
  12. suit — clothes
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. capital — a city
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. rush — hurry
  18. suit — to fit
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. suit — in cards
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. capital — money
  24. fork — a garden tool

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