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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: bore · bass · fork · fan · bay · perch · mark · can

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bore — to drill
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bass — low music
  18. mark — a grade
  19. can — a tin
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. can — a tin
  24. perch — for a bird

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