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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. content — happy
  9. stem — to come from
  10. content — the amount
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a committee
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. craft — boats
  16. drill — the tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pound — a weight
  19. craft — a skill
  20. drill — army training
  21. fork — in a road
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. safe — out of danger

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