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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. current — happening now
  4. fork — in a road
  5. current — of water
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. current — electric
  12. rule — government
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. season — in sport
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — of the year
  23. date — the fruit
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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