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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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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: leaves · season · pound · nail · content · cabinet · fork · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. season — of the year
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bore — to tire
  11. season — in sport
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — happy
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. season — to add flavour

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