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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: coach · stick · fine · season · rule · hide · fork · bound

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. rule — government
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fine — all right
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bound — obliged
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. season — of the year
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bound — certain
  20. season — in sport
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rule — a law
  24. bound — tied together

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