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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: ball · rush · bore · fine · pound · land · fork · wake

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. pound — a weight
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. fork — in a road
  6. land — ground
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. fine — high quality
  9. rush — hurry
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. land — to come down
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bore — to drill
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. ball — a dance
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. land — a country
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fine — all right
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. wake — a trail
  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