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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: fork · root · firm · mine · plane · spell · trunk · drill

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. spell — letters
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mine — for digging
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. plane — a tool
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — the cause
  12. firm — decided
  13. fork — in a road
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. firm — steady
  16. spell — a short time
  17. root — of a word
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. firm — a company
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. drill — a practice
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mine — an explosive

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