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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. saw — the tool
  5. can — a tin
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. craft — boats
  8. can — a tin
  9. race — a contest
  10. mark — a trace
  11. race — the arms race
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stand — to bear
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. drill — army training
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. can — to be able to
  23. saw — the tool
  24. race — humankind

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