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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. board — to get on
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. board — a committee
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pound — a weight
  9. capital — money
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. capital — a city
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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