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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 120 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: fork · ground · lean · bore · chip · court · fan · hide

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  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 — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bore — to tire
  6. lean — thin
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. ground — the earth
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. court — of law
  15. ground — crushed
  16. fork — in a road
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chip — to eat
  19. ground — a position
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. court — of a king
  22. court — for sport
  23. lean — to bend
  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