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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 116 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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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: nail · wound · current · pitcher · fork · fan · board · bowl

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. current — of water
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. fork — in a road
  14. board — to get on
  15. current — electric
  16. board — a committee
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. wound — an injury
  22. current — happening now
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bowl — a football final

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