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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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bank — for money
  5. firm — a company
  6. perch — the fish
  7. fork — in a road
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. hand — help
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bank — of a river
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bank — for money
  23. mate — a friend
  24. hand — in cards

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