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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 120 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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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: root · lean · field · kick · fork · key · bore · tube

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. tube — a container
  3. key — in music
  4. field — farmland
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — thin
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a word
  11. bore — to drill
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. root — of a plant
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. kick — in football
  17. field — for sport
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. field — a subject
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bore — to tire
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fork — a garden tool

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