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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: fork · face · suit · wake · date · mark · bore · cabinet

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bore — to tire
  8. suit — in cards
  9. face — to confront
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. face — to point toward
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. date — the fruit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. face — part of the head
  22. fork — in a road
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wake — before a funeral

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