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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: staff · wound · fork · rule · dip · board

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. dip — to sink
  3. staff — employees
  4. board — to get on
  5. rule — government
  6. wound — an injury
  7. board — a committee
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. staff — employees
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. wound — an injury
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rule — a law
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. staff — a stick

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