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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 120 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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. can — a tin
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. drill — army training
  8. stem — to come from
  9. squash — to crush
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. can — a tin
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. foot — a measure
  23. squash — the sport
  24. can — to be able to

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