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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. fork — to eat with
  2. mug — a face
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bore — to drill
  6. swing — music
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bore — to tire
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. mark — a grade
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mug — a cup
  15. swing — to play on
  16. season — of the year
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. row — a line
  21. mark — a trace
  22. swing — in golf
  23. fork — in a road
  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