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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. fall — the season
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fall — to drop
  7. staff — employees
  8. fall — to drop
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. season — in sport
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. season — of the year
  13. wake — a trail
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — to drill
  17. craft — boats
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. craft — a skill

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