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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 · chip · stand · toast · row · nail · spring · can

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. can — a tin
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — bread
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. spring — of water
  13. spring — a coil
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. can — to be able to
  17. stand — to bear
  18. row — a line
  19. spring — the season
  20. can — a tin
  21. row — to paddle
  22. chip — to eat
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. fork — in a road

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