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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. kick — in football
  10. current — of water
  11. lie — to recline
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cue — a hint
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fork — in a road
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bore — to tire
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. charge — a price

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