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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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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: wave · fork · nail · leaves · drill · mug · spring · ground

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. drill — a practice
  3. mug — to rob
  4. spring — of water
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. ground — a position
  9. mug — a face
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. drill — the tool
  12. spring — a coil
  13. drill — army training
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spring — the season
  21. ground — the earth
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. ground — crushed
  24. mug — a cup

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