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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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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: pop · rock · board · bore · mouse · fork · sharp · chair

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. fork — in a road
  3. board — to get on
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. chair — a leader
  8. pop — music
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bore — to drill
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pop — soda
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rock — music
  18. board — a committee
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. sharp — clever
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. pop — to visit

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