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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · fork · deal · kick · temple · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cell — in biology
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. deal — to handle
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. fork — in a road
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. kick — in football
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. cell — a phone

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