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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. cap — a lid
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. last — finally
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. club — for dancing
  7. scale — size or range
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rule — government
  10. cap — a hat
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. club — a group
  14. rule — a law
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. last — to go on
  18. cap — of ice
  19. fork — in a road
  20. last — final
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. club — for golf
  23. scale — in music
  24. mark — a grade

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