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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
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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: rock · bark · saw · capital · rush · drill · fork · toast

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. rock — a stone
  3. capital — a city
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. capital — money
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — a practice
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bark — to shout
  18. rock — music
  19. saw — the tool
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. toast — bread
  24. rush — a thrill

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