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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: field · mark · fork · lie · ground · bore · bay · nail

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. ground — the earth
  3. field — for sport
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ground — a position
  7. bore — to tire
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. ground — crushed
  13. mark — a grade
  14. field — farmland
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. field — a subject
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bore — to drill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fork — in a road
  24. mark — a trace

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