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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 120 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: racket · sharp · saw · bear · mark · cue · fork · stick

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bear — the animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cue — a signal
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. sharp — clever
  17. fork — in a road
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cue — for pool
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mark — a trace

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