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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. key — for a lock
  4. fork — in a road
  5. tear — to rip
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. firm — decided
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. rock — a stone
  10. tear — from crying
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rule — a law
  13. craft — boats
  14. key — the most important part
  15. tear — from crying
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. rule — government
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rock — music
  21. craft — a skill
  22. key — in music
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. wax — in the ear

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