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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 · fork · game · season · ball · leaves · bore · tube

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  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. game — a match
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bore — to drill
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. season — of the year
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. tube — the underground
  11. net — after costs
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fork — in a road
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. net — in sport
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. net — for catching
  20. ball — a great time
  21. season — in sport
  22. game — wild animals
  23. tube — a container
  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