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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bark — to shout
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. fork — in a road
  7. plane — a tool
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. wind — moving air
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. drill — a practice
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. drill — the tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wind — to turn a key

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