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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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. fork — a garden tool
  4. fine — all right
  5. pound — a weight
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. fine — high quality
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — for digging
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bore — to drill
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. rule — a law
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. rule — government
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bore — to tire

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