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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. mug — to rob
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rule — a law
  9. mug — a cup
  10. band — a music group
  11. mug — a face
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rash — hasty
  18. toast — bread
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rash — a series
  22. rule — government
  23. fork — in a road
  24. mouse — the animal

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