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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. current — electric
  4. current — happening now
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — there
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. fork — in a road
  9. tube — a container
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. tube — the underground
  12. present — a gift
  13. rule — government
  14. chest — a box
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — of the year
  17. rule — a law
  18. chest — of your body
  19. current — of water
  20. chest — of your body
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. fork — to eat with

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