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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.

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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
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: cabinet · nail · rash · ground · content · fan · fork · bowl

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. ground — a position
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. content — the amount
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — the earth
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rash — a series
  23. content — happy
  24. fan — a supporter

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