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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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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 · mark · bear · foot · stand · fork · board

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. stand — to bear
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. board — to get on
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bear — the animal
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. board — a committee
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bear — the animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mark — a grade
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. mark — a trace
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fork — in a road

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