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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — in a road
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. clip — to cut
  7. current — happening now
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. clip — for paper
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rash — a series
  14. snap — to click
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. current — electric
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. clip — a video
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. current — of water

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