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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: deal · fine · rest · fork · saw · cell · rule · roll

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. roll — a list
  3. rest — what's left
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. rule — a law
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rest — a break
  9. rule — government
  10. saw — the tool
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in biology
  21. roll — a cake
  22. fork — in a road
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. fine — all right

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