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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pit — a hole
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. plane — a tool
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. mark — a grade
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. court — for sport
  21. mark — a trace
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — of law

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