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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: snap · wake · board · track · firm · stem · fork · nail

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. firm — decided
  4. track — a song
  5. snap — to click
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. track — a path
  8. stem — to come from
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. board — a committee
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. firm — a company
  15. fork — in a road
  16. firm — steady
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wake — a trail
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. track — to keep track
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. board — to get on
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stem — a stem cell

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