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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 120 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: fork · leaves · stick · bear · dip · nail · suit · drill

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. drill — army training
  4. dip — to sink
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. suit — clothes
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. suit — in cards
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — a garden tool

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