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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. object — a thing
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pit — in a race
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pit — a hole
  9. object — to protest
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. object — an aim
  12. bore — to tire
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mark — a grade
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pit — a fruit stone

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