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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fan · fork · march · lean · nail · pitcher · stick · mark

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. march — the month
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. march — music
  8. lean — to bend
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. march — the month
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. lean — thin
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fork — in a road

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