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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 116 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: hide · lean · club · fine · drill · fork · net · present

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. club — for golf
  4. drill — army training
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. drill — the tool
  7. net — after costs
  8. present — there
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. net — in sport
  11. fine — high quality
  12. club — for dancing
  13. lean — thin
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. drill — a practice
  17. club — a group
  18. net — for catching
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fine — all right
  21. present — a gift
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. lean — to bend
  24. present — the time now

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