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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 120 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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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: wake · plane · fork · hand · bulb · suit · swing · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fork — in a road
  3. plane — a tool
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. swing — music
  6. hand — in cards
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. swing — to play on
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bulb — for light
  14. suit — in cards
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. swing — in golf
  18. hand — help
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — a trail
  23. suit — clothes
  24. plane — in geometry

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