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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: kid · rule · fork · jam · coach · kick · toast · dip

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was 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. toast — bread
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. kick — in football
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. kid — to tease
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fork — in a road
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rule — government
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. rule — a law
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. dip — to sink
  23. kid — child
  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