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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 116 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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. drill — the tool
  4. can — a tin
  5. fork — in a road
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. drill — a practice
  8. ground — crushed
  9. plane — a tool
  10. craft — boats
  11. ground — the earth
  12. can — a tin
  13. craft — a skill
  14. club — for golf
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. ground — a position
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. club — for dancing
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. chair — a leader
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. club — a group

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