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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 got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. fork — in a road
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. stem — to come from
  14. fine — high quality
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wind — moving air
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fine — all right
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fine — a penalty

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