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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: object · bore · rash · spell · tear · deal · bound · fork

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. rash — a series
  3. bore — to tire
  4. object — an aim
  5. deal — to handle
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. tear — from crying
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. fork — in a road
  17. object — a thing
  18. bore — to drill
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — to rip
  24. deal — a big deal

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