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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: mouse · wave · hide · hand · racket · mark · fork · sharp

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. fork — in a road
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. sharp — clever
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hand — in cards
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mark — a grade
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. racket — a loud noise

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