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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 116 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
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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: leaves · squash · bore · firm · drill · mate · spring · fork

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bore — to tire
  4. squash — the sport
  5. spring — a coil
  6. drill — army training
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. spring — the season
  9. mate — a friend
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bore — to drill
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. mate — to breed
  14. firm — steady
  15. spring — of water
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. mate — a partner
  18. firm — a company
  19. squash — to crush
  20. firm — decided
  21. drill — a practice
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

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