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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 120 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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — a coil
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bore — to tire
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. stand — to bear
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — to breed
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mark — a grade
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. spring — of water

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