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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: arm · fork · cap · net · rush · drill · coach · bear

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. net — after costs
  4. cap — of ice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. cap — a hat
  13. fork — in a road
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. drill — army training
  21. cap — a lid
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rush — a thrill

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