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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: mark · roll · cue · nail · leaves · last · fork · cap

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. mark — a grade
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. last — to go on
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fork — in a road
  11. last — final
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. cue — for pool
  14. last — finally
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cap — a hat
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mark — a trace
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. cue — a hint
  24. nail — for a hammer

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