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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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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: race · field · racket · fork · suit · drill · club · pound

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. drill — a practice
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. suit — to fit
  5. race — the arms race
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. suit — in cards
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. race — a contest
  10. club — for golf
  11. field — farmland
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. club — a group
  14. pound — a weight
  15. field — a subject
  16. drill — army training
  17. race — humankind
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. field — for sport
  20. club — for dancing
  21. drill — the tool
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. suit — clothes

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