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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 120 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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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: fork · fan · stem · ruler · bore · pass · lash · ground

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ground — a position
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. ground — crushed
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pass — a permit
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stem — to come from
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. ground — the earth
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bore — to tire
  24. pass — to spend time

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