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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 116 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. current — electric
  5. current — happening now
  6. board — a committee
  7. squash — to crush
  8. board — to get on
  9. current — of water
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. spell — letters
  13. squash — the sport
  14. spell — magic
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bore — to tire
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bore — to drill
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. nail — on a finger

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