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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: rule · nail · pitcher · leaves · fork · wake · stick · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. wake — a trail
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. rule — government
  17. bore — to tire
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rule — a law
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bore — gave birth

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