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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. rule — a law
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rule — government
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bound — obliged
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. chest — a box
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. chest — of your body
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bound — certain
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bound — tied together

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