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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: mouse · nail · fan · fork · wind · mark · pitch · snap

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fork — in a road
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. wind — moving air
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. snap — to click
  22. pitch — completely
  23. wind — moving air
  24. nail — for a hammer

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