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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 116 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rule — government
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rush — hurry
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fork — in a road
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rule — a law
  20. charge — in control
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. prune — the fruit

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