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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wound · suit · game · fork · bore · chair · craft · lie

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. chair — a leader
  7. game — a match
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. craft — boats
  11. bore — to drill
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — in a road
  18. game — wild animals
  19. craft — a skill
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. suit — clothes
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. lie — an untruth

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