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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: mouse · fork · capital · cabinet · jam · straw · wake · lie

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — a trail
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. capital — money
  21. capital — a city
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. straw — dry grass

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