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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rule — a law
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stem — to come from
  6. drill — the tool
  7. current — electric
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. root — of a word
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. root — the cause
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. root — of a plant
  18. club — for dancing
  19. fork — in a road
  20. current — happening now
  21. rule — government
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. drill — army training
  24. current — of water

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