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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mark — a grade
  5. board — a committee
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. bore — to tire
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. board — to get on
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. key — for a lock
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fork — in a road
  22. prune — to trim
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bore — to drill

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