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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. saw — the tool
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. present — the time now
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bore — to tire
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bore — to drill
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. present — a gift
  19. track — to keep track
  20. present — there
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. track — a path
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. track — a song

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