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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: jam · fork · leaves · rule · fine · rock · last · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — a list
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fine — all right
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. rock — music
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rock — a stone
  17. last — finally
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. last — final
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. last — to go on
  24. rule — government

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