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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: patient · plane · calf · hide · nail · spring · stock · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — a coil
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. plane — a tool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stock — goods
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. stock — shares
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spring — of water
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. hide — animal skin

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