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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mark · wave · net · fork · face · mouse · hand · row

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. net — for catching
  3. hand — help
  4. mark — a grade
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — in a road
  9. row — to paddle
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. net — after costs
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. face — to confront
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. net — in sport
  20. row — a line
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. face — part of the head
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. mark — to pay attention

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