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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: fork · rule · swing · hide · root · key · saw · rock

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rule — government
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. swing — in golf
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. key — the most important part
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rock — music
  11. fork — in a road
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. swing — music
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. rule — a law
  17. saw — the tool
  18. root — of a word
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a plant
  22. swing — to play on
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. key — for a lock

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