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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · hide · chip · drill · fork · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. chip — for betting
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — the tool
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fork — in a road
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. drill — a practice
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. chip — to eat
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. stand — to bear
  18. hide — animal skin

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