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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. board — to get on
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. prune — to trim
  9. board — a committee
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. squash — to crush
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cue — for pool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rule — a law
  17. cue — a hint
  18. squash — the sport
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rule — government
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. ball — a dance
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. cue — a signal

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