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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
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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: dip · object · fork · coach · clip · bear · drill · game

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. clip — a video
  3. fork — in a road
  4. clip — for paper
  5. drill — army training
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. object — a thing
  9. clip — to cut
  10. drill — a practice
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. game — wild animals
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. dip — to sink
  18. object — to protest
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. game — a match
  23. drill — the tool
  24. object — an aim

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