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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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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 · pound · scale · last · board · swing · cell · nail

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. scale — size or range
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. cell — a phone
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. board — a committee
  8. fork — in a road
  9. swing — music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. board — to get on
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. last — finally
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. last — final
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. last — to go on
  22. scale — in music
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. fork — to eat with

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