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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. staff — employees
  4. ball — a dance
  5. fork — in a road
  6. rule — government
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. staff — a stick
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. staff — employees
  19. wake — a trail
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wake — before a funeral

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