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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. drill — army training
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wake — a trail
  6. drill — the tool
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. stock — goods
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. saw — the tool
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stock — shares
  22. drill — a practice
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stock — a soup base

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