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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: root · fork · wave · club · nail · chip · leaves · sharp

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. club — for golf
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. root — of a word
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. root — the cause
  12. chip — to eat
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — clever
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. club — a group
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fork — in a road
  21. club — for dancing
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. leaves — of a tree

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