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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. rule — government
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. track — a song
  5. rule — a law
  6. last — finally
  7. roll — a list
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — final
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. lie — to recline
  12. track — to keep track
  13. root — the cause
  14. track — a path
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — of a plant
  18. roll — a cake
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. lie — an untruth

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