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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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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: root · pound · field · land · fork · bore · racket · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. fork — in a road
  3. root — the cause
  4. bore — to drill
  5. field — a subject
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pound — a weight
  11. land — a country
  12. land — to come down
  13. field — for sport
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. field — farmland
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bore — to tire
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. land — ground
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. root — of a word

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