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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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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: fine · pit · saw · bore · bowl · mug · fork · dip

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pit — a hole
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. fine — all right
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. mug — a face
  17. bore — to tire
  18. saw — the tool
  19. dip — to sink
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bore — gave birth

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