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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. degree — from a university
  4. fork — in a road
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. degree — an amount
  7. suit — clothes
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. ground — a position
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ground — crushed
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bore — to drill
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bore — to tire
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. suit — to fit
  19. ground — the earth
  20. suit — in cards
  21. degree — temperature
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. fork — a garden tool

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