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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fork — in a road
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — a weight
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rule — government
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. squash — to crush
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. craft — boats
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. craft — a skill
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. squash — the sport
  24. nail — for a hammer

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