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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. roll — a cake
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. lean — to bend
  10. roll — a list
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. lean — thin
  20. snap — to click
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. can — a tin
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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