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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: current · ground · foot · pass · fork · drill · ball · net

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ground — the earth
  4. drill — a practice
  5. ground — crushed
  6. drill — army training
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. drill — the tool
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — after costs
  11. ground — a position
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. current — happening now
  15. fork — in a road
  16. net — for catching
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. foot — a measure
  22. current — electric
  23. current — of water
  24. pass — a permit

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