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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: bear · ground · bass · wound · shower · cue · fork · nail

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bass — low music
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bear — the animal
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fork — in a road
  9. wound — an injury
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cue — for pool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. cue — a hint
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. shower — rain
  19. bass — the fish
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. cue — a signal
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — crushed

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