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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: spring · drill · club · bear · fork · lean · pitch · fan

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. spring — of water
  3. club — for dancing
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. club — a group
  11. bear — the animal
  12. drill — the tool
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. spring — the season
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lean — thin
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. club — for golf
  19. pitch — completely
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. spring — a coil
  23. drill — army training
  24. bear — the animal

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