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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spring · nail · mouse · fork · squash · racket · bass · saw

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bass — the fish
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. spring — of water
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bass — low music
  20. squash — to crush
  21. spring — the season
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. squash — the sport
  24. fork — a garden tool

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