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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. drill — the tool
  9. stand — to bear
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. lean — to bend
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. branch — a division
  16. game — a match
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — thin
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. game — wild animals
  23. fork — in a road
  24. drill — army training

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