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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: cabinet · fork · drill · pit · ruler · board · fine · prune

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fine — all right
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. drill — army training
  5. fine — high quality
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fork — in a road
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. board — to get on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — a practice
  15. pit — in a race
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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