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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: drill · roll · rock · bore · craft · fork · bear · rash

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a list
  7. rock — music
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rock — a stone
  12. drill — army training
  13. bear — the animal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. craft — boats
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. craft — a handicraft

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