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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mug — to rob
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rule — government
  7. fork — in a road
  8. content — the amount
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. land — a country
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. content — happy
  15. mug — a cup
  16. land — ground
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. land — to come down
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rule — a law
  22. mug — a face
  23. current — of water
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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