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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. prune — to trim
  3. craft — boats
  4. tube — a container
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. can — a tin
  7. rule — government
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. mug — a face
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. can — a tin
  13. tube — the underground
  14. rule — a law
  15. mug — to rob
  16. vault — a safe
  17. prune — to trim
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. fork — in a road
  23. mug — a cup
  24. can — to be able to

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