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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. rule — government
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stem — to come from
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. object — an aim
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. firm — a company
  10. pop — music
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — a thing
  13. fall — the season
  14. rule — a law
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pop — soda
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. firm — steady
  20. pound — a weight
  21. firm — decided
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. pop — to visit
  24. stem — a stem cell

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