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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  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. rule — to rule out
  2. fork — in a road
  3. land — to come down
  4. land — ground
  5. track — a song
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. dip — to sink
  11. land — a country
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bank — for money
  14. track — to keep track
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rule — government
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. track — a path
  23. rule — a law
  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