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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. craft — boats
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. craft — a skill
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. root — the cause
  8. face — part of the head
  9. mark — a grade
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bore — to drill
  12. shower — rain
  13. pop — to visit
  14. root — of a word
  15. pop — soda
  16. face — to confront
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. pop — music
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bore — to tire
  21. mark — a trace
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. shower — to wash
  24. mark — to pay attention

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