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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: dip · last · fork · band · can · saw · field · rest

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to sink
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — finally
  5. band — a ring
  6. fork — in a road
  7. last — final
  8. field — a subject
  9. rest — what's left
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rest — a break
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. field — for sport
  16. saw — the tool
  17. band — a music group
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. saw — the tool
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. field — farmland

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