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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: tear · sharp · firm · calf · squash · drill · key · fork

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. squash — the sport
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. fork — in a road
  6. tear — from crying
  7. firm — steady
  8. key — in music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. squash — to crush
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. drill — the tool
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. tear — to rip
  15. tear — from crying
  16. drill — a practice
  17. firm — a company
  18. sharp — clever
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. key — the most important part
  21. drill — army training
  22. key — for a lock
  23. firm — decided
  24. fork — to eat with

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