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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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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: fork · hand · lash · arm · present · pop · bore · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fork — in a road
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bore — to tire
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. present — a gift
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. hand — in cards
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. hand — help
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rule — government
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rule — a law
  17. present — the time now
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. pop — music
  20. present — there
  21. bore — to drill
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pop — soda

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