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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: row · fork · foot · jam · lie · bay · rule · wake

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. lie — to recline
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. rule — government
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wake — a trail
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. row — to paddle
  16. rule — a law
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. row — a line
  23. fork — in a road
  24. lie — an untruth

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