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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fork · lie · fall · staff · rule · can · tube · leaves

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. can — a tin
  4. fall — the season
  5. rule — a law
  6. fall — to drop
  7. can — a tin
  8. tube — the underground
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rule — government
  17. lie — to recline
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. fall — to drop
  20. staff — employees
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. staff — employees
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. tube — a container

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