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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: fork · wake · hand · cue · sharp · hide · mate · staff

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mate — to breed
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. staff — employees
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. cue — a signal
  12. hand — in cards
  13. staff — a stick
  14. cue — for pool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. staff — employees
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. mate — a friend
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. mate — a partner
  24. hand — part of the body

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