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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: lean · bore · chair · bear · ball · fork · rule · object

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. object — to protest
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. object — an aim
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rule — a law
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bore — to drill
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. lean — thin
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rule — government
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bore — to tire
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. object — a thing

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