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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: net · can · spell · bear · fork · racket · bore · ball

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. fork — in a road
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. spell — letters
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bore — to tire
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. can — a tin
  12. ball — a great time
  13. net — for catching
  14. can — to be able to
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bore — to drill
  17. net — in sport
  18. spell — a short time
  19. net — after costs
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. spell — magic
  24. bear — the animal

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