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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 116 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: season · mouse · track · nail · cue · saw · fork · hide

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. track — a song
  3. saw — the tool
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. cue — for pool
  6. track — a path
  7. cue — a hint
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. season — in sport
  14. fork — in a road
  15. saw — the tool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. track — to keep track
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cue — a signal
  21. season — of the year
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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