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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: clip · rule · fork · net · cabinet · ruler · lie · safe

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fork — in a road
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. net — for catching
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. clip — a video
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rule — government
  16. lie — to recline
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. clip — for paper
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. clip — to cut
  24. lie — an untruth

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