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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. drill — army training
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. drill — a practice
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. firm — decided
  10. root — the cause
  11. club — for golf
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. fork — in a road
  14. drill — the tool
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. root — of a plant
  17. firm — a company
  18. root — of a word
  19. club — for dancing
  20. saw — the tool
  21. firm — steady
  22. club — a group
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. saw — the tool

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