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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: racket · nail · hide · roll · shower · temple · fork · current

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. current — of water
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. roll — a cake
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fork — in a road
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — rain
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. current — electric
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. current — happening now

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