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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: racket · firm · field · cap · fork · drill · mug · cabinet

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. drill — the tool
  3. field — farmland
  4. cap — a lid
  5. firm — a company
  6. mug — a face
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mug — to rob
  10. field — for sport
  11. drill — a practice
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. cap — a hat
  14. mug — a cup
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. field — a subject
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. drill — army training
  24. cap — of ice

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