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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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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: object · can · fan · bear · stem · fork · snap · drill

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. drill — a practice
  4. object — an aim
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. bear — the animal
  8. object — to protest
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. can — a tin
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. can — a tin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. object — a thing
  17. fork — in a road
  18. can — to be able to
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stem — to come from
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. drill — the tool
  24. stem — of a plant

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