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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: board · current · racket · fall · row · fork · nail · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. row — a line
  3. current — happening now
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — in a road
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. row — to paddle
  11. drill — army training
  12. fall — to drop
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fall — the season
  17. drill — the tool
  18. board — a committee
  19. current — electric
  20. board — to get on
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fall — to drop
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. current — of water

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