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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: stand · pitcher · cell · fork · kick · race · drill · fine

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. drill — a practice
  3. fine — all right
  4. drill — army training
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. drill — the tool
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. race — a contest
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. cell — a phone
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. stand — to bear
  21. race — humankind
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cell — in biology
  24. race — the arms race

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