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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: file · fork · drill · tear · suit · craft · calf · coach

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. tear — to rip
  5. file — a tool
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. suit — to fit
  8. craft — a skill
  9. fork — in a road
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. file — a document
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. craft — boats
  16. tear — from crying
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. file — a line of people
  20. drill — a practice
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. drill — the tool
  24. coach — a trainer

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