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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: jam · rule · foot · safe · roll · rush · fork · swing

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. swing — to play on
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. swing — in golf
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. rule — government
  12. roll — a cake
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. swing — music
  15. rush — hurry
  16. fork — in a road
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rule — a law
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. foot — a measure

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