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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: fork · spring · rush · dip · cap · bore · mark · temple

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. spring — of water
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. mark — a grade
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. rush — hurry
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. spring — the season
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. dip — to sink
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — of ice
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mark — a trace

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