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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. fork — in a road
  3. rule — a law
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rush — hurry
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. can — a tin
  11. chair — a leader
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. can — to be able to
  20. vault — a safe
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. can — a tin
  24. fork — a garden tool

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