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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. arm — a part of something
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. game — a match
  5. current — happening now
  6. rule — a law
  7. rash — a series
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. current — electric
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rule — government
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bank — for money
  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