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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. drill — the tool
  4. ball — a dance
  5. foot — a measure
  6. drill — army training
  7. board — to get on
  8. pop — soda
  9. ball — a great time
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. fork — in a road
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. pop — music
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. pop — to visit
  22. drill — a practice
  23. board — a committee
  24. fan — to cool the air

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