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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 120 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: cell · fork · patient · lie · rule · charge · pass · mouse

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rule — government
  8. charge — electricity
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. cell — in biology
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fork — in a road
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. charge — a price
  18. rule — a law
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. charge — in control
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. cell — a phone
  24. fork — a garden tool

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