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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pop — to visit
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. drill — the tool
  6. fork — in a road
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. branch — a division
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pop — soda
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. firm — a company
  17. pop — music
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. squash — the sport
  20. firm — steady
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. squash — to crush
  23. drill — army training
  24. firm — decided

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