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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. shower — to wash
  6. rule — a law
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. shower — rain
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rule — government
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fork — in a road
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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