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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · wake · mark · craft · bore · band

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bore — to drill
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bore — to tire
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mark — a grade
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wake — a trail
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a music group
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. mark — a trace
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. craft — boats
  18. mark — to pay attention

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