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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fork — in a road
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. spell — letters
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. rule — government
  9. suit — in cards
  10. spell — a short time
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. suit — to fit
  13. spell — magic
  14. rule — a law
  15. fine — all right
  16. race — a contest
  17. fine — high quality
  18. race — the arms race
  19. pound — a weight
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. race — humankind
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. coach — a trainer

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