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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.

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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: bear · saw · plane · net · fork · suit · roll · drill

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. roll — a list
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. drill — army training
  7. saw — the tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — a tool
  11. suit — clothes
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — in sport
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. suit — to fit
  19. drill — a practice
  20. roll — a cake
  21. net — after costs
  22. fork — in a road
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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