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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — to play on
  5. kick — in football
  6. object — an aim
  7. staff — employees
  8. drill — army training
  9. current — happening now
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. drill — a practice
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. current — of water
  14. staff — employees
  15. drill — the tool
  16. current — electric
  17. object — a thing
  18. staff — a stick
  19. fork — in a road
  20. object — to protest
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fork — to eat with

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