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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: object · fork · bore · ground · can · wave · pound · squash

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. ground — a position
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — to crush
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — to protest
  7. ground — crushed
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. object — a thing
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. fork — in a road
  16. ground — the earth
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. can — a tin
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. bore — to tire
  24. pound — for dogs

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