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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 120 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: suit · stem · fork · ruler · land · file · fine · lash

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. fork — in a road
  6. file — a tool
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. stem — to come from
  9. file — a line of people
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. land — a country
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. file — a document
  16. fine — all right
  17. land — to come down
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. land — ground
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fork — a garden tool

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