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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. rash — a series
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. firm — decided
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wound — an injury
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. drill — the tool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wound — an injury
  21. drill — army training
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. cue — a signal

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