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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: fall · drill · fork · staff · safe · rule · ruler · branch

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. staff — employees
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. staff — a stick
  6. branch — a division
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rule — government
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rule — a law
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. staff — employees
  18. drill — army training
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. drill — the tool
  21. fall — the season
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. ruler — for measuring

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