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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.

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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: fine · pitch · rock · drill · ruler · board · mine · fork

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. drill — the tool
  3. fine — all right
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mine — for digging
  6. pitch — completely
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. drill — a practice
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. drill — army training
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. board — a committee
  24. fine — a penalty

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