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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.

Make a worksheet

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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. rule — a law
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. can — a tin
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stock — goods
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fork — in a road
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wake — a trail
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. stock — shares
  18. rule — government
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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