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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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Word bank
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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: rule · rest · lie · fork · chip · mate

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rule — a law
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mate — a friend
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. chip — for betting
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rest — a break
  11. fork — in a road
  12. rule — government
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. fork — a garden tool

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