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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fork — in a road
  4. game — a match
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. mark — a grade
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bore — to tire
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bore — to drill
  24. game — wild animals

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