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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bore — to tire
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mine — for digging
  11. rock — music
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bore — to drill
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rock — to move gently

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