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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fork · pit · can · bowl · spring · mouse · nail · wake

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. spring — the season
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. wake — a trail
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. can — a tin
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. pit — a hole
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. spring — of water
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. pit — in a race
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. fork — in a road

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