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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.

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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: deal · object · stand · nail · mark · fork · last · rock

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. object — a thing
  5. fork — in a road
  6. last — final
  7. object — to protest
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. stand — to bear
  12. deal — to handle
  13. rock — music
  14. last — to go on
  15. mark — a grade
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. last — finally
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — a trace
  24. nail — on a finger

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