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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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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: dip · squash · bay · fork · ruler · rule · roll · swing

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. dip — to sink
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. roll — a cake
  8. rule — government
  9. roll — a list
  10. rule — a law
  11. swing — in golf
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. squash — to crush
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — to play on

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