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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: wake · mate · object · nail · kick · dip · shower · fork

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. dip — to sink
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. wake — a trail
  11. object — a thing
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mate — a partner
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. mate — to breed
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. object — an aim
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. object — to protest
  21. shower — rain
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. kick — in football
  24. shower — to wash

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