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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bound — tied together
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rest — a break
  8. rule — government
  9. fork — in a road
  10. plane — a tool
  11. fine — high quality
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fine — all right
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rush — hurry
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bound — obliged
  19. rule — a law
  20. bound — certain
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. squash — to crush
  24. fork — to eat with

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