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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. spring — the season
  4. toast — bread
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. kick — in football
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a leader
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — army training
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bear — the animal
  20. spring — of water
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. spring — a coil
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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