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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. mark — a grade
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. mate — to breed
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. mate — a partner
  11. rule — government
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bark — to shout
  14. mate — a friend
  15. craft — boats
  16. cell — in biology
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. craft — a skill
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mark — a trace

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