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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: fine · staff · squash · fork · cell · pit · arm · rule

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. pit — a hole
  6. staff — employees
  7. pit — in a race
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. staff — a stick
  11. cell — in biology
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fine — high quality
  14. squash — to crush
  15. fine — all right
  16. cell — a phone
  17. rule — a law
  18. staff — employees
  19. squash — the sport
  20. rule — government
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fork — in a road
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. rule — to rule out

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