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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 116 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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. drill — a practice
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — of a plant
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. drill — army training
  13. bound — obliged
  14. drill — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. squash — the sport
  17. net — for catching
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bound — certain
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. root — the cause
  23. nail — on a finger
  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