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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: racket · calf · bowl · squash · fork · bore · march · prune

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. march — the month
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bore — to tire
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. march — the month
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. squash — the sport
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. prune — to trim
  23. march — music
  24. bore — to drill

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