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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 116 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: mark · lie · bear · bore · mouse · saw · race · fork

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fork — in a road
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. race — a contest
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. race — humankind
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bore — to tire
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. race — the arms race
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bear — the animal

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