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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. lean — thin
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. rule — a law
  6. charge — in control
  7. rush — hurry
  8. lean — to bend
  9. stand — to bear
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. charge — a price
  12. rule — government
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. craft — a skill
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. perch — the fish
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. charge — electricity

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