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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. key — the most important part
  6. file — a document
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — certain
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fork — in a road
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. chair — a leader
  17. file — a tool
  18. key — in music
  19. pound — a weight
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bound — tied together
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. key — for a lock
  24. ruler — a monarch

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