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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. season — in sport
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. capital — a city
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. season — of the year
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. capital — money
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. wake — a trail
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bat — the animal
  21. sharp — clever
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bore — to tire

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