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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 120 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: prune · pound · drill · board · stick · fork · chip · racket

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. drill — the tool
  4. board — a committee
  5. drill — a practice
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. drill — army training
  11. chip — to eat
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — a weight
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fork — in a road
  21. board — to get on
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. prune — to trim

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