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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mug — a face
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. wound — an injury
  11. mug — a cup
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bore — to tire
  18. prune — to trim
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. wound — an injury
  24. calf — a young animal

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