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

Word bank: drill · fork · rest · fine · plane · club · bulb · firm

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. firm — a company
  3. club — for golf
  4. fine — all right
  5. club — for dancing
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. club — a group
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. drill — army training
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. drill — the tool
  15. rest — what's left
  16. firm — steady
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rest — what's left
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rest — a break
  23. drill — a practice
  24. firm — decided

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