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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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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. track — a song
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. club — a group
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. club — for dancing
  16. date — the fruit
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bore — to drill
  20. club — for golf
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. chest — a box

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