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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pop — soda
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. craft — a skill
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. bore — to tire
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — certain
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. craft — boats
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bound — tied together
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pop — music

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