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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 116 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: suit · craft · fork · key · prune · pound · drill · bowl

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. suit — in cards
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. craft — boats
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. drill — the tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. craft — a skill
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. key — the most important part
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. pound — a weight
  19. key — for a lock
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. prune — to trim
  24. drill — army training

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