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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: fork · season · bore · foot · fall · object · toast · pound

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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. bore — gave birth
  2. toast — bread
  3. pound — a weight
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bore — to tire
  6. object — a thing
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. fork — in a road
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. object — an aim
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. bore — to drill
  15. object — to protest
  16. season — in sport
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — a measure
  19. fall — the season
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  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