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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.

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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 · present · fork · stand · rock · bore · suit · pitcher

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. spring — of water
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fork — in a road
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bore — to drill
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rock — music
  13. present — a gift
  14. spring — the season
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. present — the time now
  18. spring — a coil
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. present — there
  24. suit — to fit

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