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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. file — a tool
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — decided
  9. file — a line of people
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — army training
  13. current — electric
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. drill — a practice
  16. file — a document
  17. firm — a company
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. current — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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