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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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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: present · suit · shower · rash · net · drill · track · fork

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. shower — to wash
  3. present — the time now
  4. rash — a series
  5. suit — clothes
  6. drill — the tool
  7. present — a gift
  8. drill — army training
  9. fork — in a road
  10. track — a song
  11. present — there
  12. suit — to fit
  13. track — a path
  14. rash — hasty
  15. net — in sport
  16. shower — rain
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. net — after costs
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. net — for catching
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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