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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: track · lean · dip · nail · saw · fork · fall · trunk

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fork — in a road
  5. lean — to bend
  6. fall — the season
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. lean — thin
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. dip — to sink
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. fall — to drop
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. saw — the tool
  20. track — a path
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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