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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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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. fork — in a road
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. mark — a grade
  5. can — a tin
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rule — a law
  9. race — humankind
  10. spell — magic
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. spell — a short time
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. rule — government
  17. mark — a trace
  18. sharp — clever
  19. spell — letters
  20. race — a contest
  21. bear — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. race — the arms race

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