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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. staff — a stick
  7. rock — music
  8. mug — a cup
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mug — a face
  12. staff — employees
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mine — for digging
  15. staff — employees
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bore — to drill
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bore — gave birth

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