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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 120 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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rule — government
  4. charge — a price
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rule — a law
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. charge — in control
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. charge — electricity

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