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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mug · firm · fork · saw · bat · board · bear · drill

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. board — to get on
  4. drill — a practice
  5. firm — steady
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. mug — a face
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bat — the animal
  19. firm — a company
  20. board — a committee
  21. firm — decided
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — the tool
  24. mug — to rob

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