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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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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: field · chip · stem · mug · fork · bowl · suit · drill

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. drill — army training
  4. chip — for betting
  5. stem — to come from
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mug — to rob
  8. field — a subject
  9. drill — a practice
  10. mug — a cup
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. fork — in a road
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. field — for sport
  15. field — farmland
  16. drill — the tool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mug — a face
  24. bowl — a football final

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