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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: coach · fork · stand · last · nail · mate · foot · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. foot — a measure
  3. last — final
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. mate — a friend
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — to breed
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. last — to go on
  19. fork — in a road
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stand — to bear
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. last — finally
  24. mouse — the animal

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