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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
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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: prune · fork · rush · track · race · bore · arm · fine

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fork — in a road
  7. race — humankind
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. race — the arms race
  11. fine — high quality
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. race — a contest
  16. prune — to trim
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a path
  19. rush — hurry
  20. fine — all right
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bore — to tire
  23. track — a song
  24. prune — the fruit

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