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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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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 · staff · fine · spring · content · tear · fork · suit

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. spring — the season
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — all right
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. tear — from crying
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. tear — from crying
  14. staff — employees
  15. content — happy
  16. suit — clothes
  17. staff — employees
  18. spring — a coil
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bore — to tire
  21. tear — to rip
  22. content — the amount
  23. suit — in cards
  24. spring — of water

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