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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — high quality
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. kick — in football
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pound — a weight
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. vault — a safe
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. wind — moving air
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. bore — to drill
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. wind — moving air
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. prune — to trim

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