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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 116 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. club — a group
  4. rule — government
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. rule — a law
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. club — for dancing
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. club — for golf
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. kick — in football
  24. safe — out of danger

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