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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
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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: fork · hand · deal · stem · squash · leaves · mug · nail

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. stem — to come from
  5. deal — to handle
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. fork — in a road
  9. squash — the sport
  10. hand — in cards
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. mug — to rob
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mug — a face
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — to crush
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. mug — a cup
  24. hand — help

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