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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 120 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bore — to drill
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. ground — a position
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. charge — a price
  14. sharp — clever
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. ground — the earth
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bark — to shout
  24. temple — a place of worship

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