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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: swing · last · suit · mug · nail · trunk · bear · fork

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. last — final
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mug — to rob
  6. last — finally
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. swing — to play on
  13. suit — to fit
  14. swing — music
  15. fork — in a road
  16. mug — a face
  17. bear — the animal
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. mug — a cup
  20. last — to go on
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. swing — in golf
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bear — to put up with

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