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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
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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: rock · mug · track · lean · fork · face · rule · dip

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rock — music
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. rule — a law
  11. fork — in a road
  12. mug — a cup
  13. dip — to sink
  14. face — to confront
  15. mug — to rob
  16. lean — to bend
  17. face — part of the head
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. face — to point toward
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. mug — a face
  24. dip — a sauce

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