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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 116 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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. fork — in a road
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rock — music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. court — for sport
  10. court — of a king
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rock — a stone
  13. sharp — clever
  14. track — a song
  15. track — a path
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bore — to tire
  24. fork — to eat with

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