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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: spring · bore · ground · fork · object · court · spell · coach

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. ground — crushed
  4. object — a thing
  5. spring — the season
  6. spell — a short time
  7. fork — in a road
  8. spring — a coil
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bore — to tire
  12. court — of a king
  13. spring — of water
  14. court — for sport
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. spell — letters
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. ground — a position
  19. object — an aim
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. court — of law
  22. object — to protest
  23. spell — magic
  24. coach — a trainer

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