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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: mouse · stick · suit · sharp · fan · nail · kid · roll

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. kid — to tease
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. suit — in cards
  14. kid — child
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. roll — a cake
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. roll — a list
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. nail — on a finger

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