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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: chair · bore · mug · temple · fork · plane · pit · content

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. content — happy
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. plane — a tool
  7. content — the amount
  8. mug — a cup
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bore — to drill
  15. pit — in a race
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bore — to tire
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. chair — a leader
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — to rob

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