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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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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: clip · nail · bear · stick · fork · rush · snap · cabinet

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. clip — for paper
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bear — the animal
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. clip — a video
  16. snap — to click
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. clip — to cut
  21. fork — in a road
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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