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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: fork · bulb · game · saw · staff · drill · leaves · mouse

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. saw — the tool
  3. game — wild animals
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. drill — a practice
  6. game — a match
  7. drill — army training
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. drill — the tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. staff — employees
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. staff — employees
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. saw — the tool
  23. staff — a stick
  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