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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.

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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: wave · bowl · object · row · pound · fork · nail · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. object — an aim
  3. pound — a weight
  4. row — a line
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. object — to protest
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. object — a thing
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fall — to drop
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. row — to paddle
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bowl — a football final

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