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

Word bank: fork · nail · rock · temple · kid · prune · saw · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. kid — child
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. prune — to trim
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. saw — the tool
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — in a road
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rock — a stone
  20. kid — to tease
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. nail — for a hammer

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