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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fork · mouse · field · fine · lie · snap · leaves · rush

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — in a road
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. field — for sport
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fine — high quality
  17. field — a subject
  18. fine — all right
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. snap — to click
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. field — farmland

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