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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
468
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: current · rule · fork · chair · rock · fan · calf · track

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. track — to keep track
  5. rule — a law
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. fork — in a road
  10. current — of water
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. current — happening now
  16. rule — government
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. track — a path
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rock — a stone
  22. current — electric
  23. chair — a leader
  24. track — a song

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