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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 120 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
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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: sharp · wake · nail · stem · craft · mouse · mark · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. craft — boats
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. sharp — clever
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. wake — a trail
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. craft — a skill
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. stem — to come from
  24. mouse — for a computer

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