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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. perch — the fish
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. net — after costs
  6. fork — in a road
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pit — in a race
  9. net — in sport
  10. bore — to drill
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pit — a hole
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bear — the animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. net — for catching
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. nail — on a finger

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