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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: bore · mark · rush · rock · fan · straw · fork · bowl

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bore — to tire
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. rock — music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bore — to drill
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fan — to cool the air

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