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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 120 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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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: ruler · content · face · fork · nail · stem · snap · mouse

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. content — happy
  8. snap — to click
  9. content — the amount
  10. face — part of the head
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. face — to point toward
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. stem — to come from
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. face — to confront

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