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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
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: nail · saw · suit · kick · perch · leaves · roll · mark

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. roll — a cake
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. suit — clothes
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. suit — to fit
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. roll — a list
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. perch — the fish
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mark — a grade
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mark — a trace
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. kick — in football

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