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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: fork · temple · mate · bore · rock · rush · band · bear

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bore — to drill
  3. band — a ring
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. band — a music group
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. fork — in a road
  14. rock — music
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rock — a stone
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. rush — hurry
  24. temple — side of the head

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