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

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. firm — steady
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. drill — army training
  7. wind — moving air
  8. current — of water
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. mark — a grade
  13. current — electric
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. fork — in a road
  19. firm — decided
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. drill — the tool
  22. firm — a company
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. current — happening now

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