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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — thin
  5. fall — the season
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. mark — a grade
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wind — moving air
  14. key — the most important part
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fork — in a road
  18. key — for a lock
  19. saw — the tool
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. key — in music
  22. lean — to bend
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fork — to eat with

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