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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
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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: wound · bay · ball · present · fork · wake · mark · staff

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. fork — in a road
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. staff — employees
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. staff — a stick
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wound — an injury
  21. present — a gift
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. staff — employees
  24. ball — a great time

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