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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. rule — government
  5. sharp — clever
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. spell — a short time
  15. foot — a measure
  16. spell — letters
  17. fall — to drop
  18. cue — for pool
  19. fall — the season
  20. cue — a signal
  21. rule — a law
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. spell — magic
  24. rest — what's left

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