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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: land · bore · ball · fan · club · game · snap · fork

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. game — wild animals
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bore — to tire
  7. land — to come down
  8. club — for golf
  9. game — a match
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bore — to drill
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — a group
  15. ball — a great time
  16. snap — to click
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. land — ground
  19. ball — a dance
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fork — to eat with

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