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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fork · prune · staff · pitcher · rule · ball · fan · kick

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fork — in a road
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. staff — a stick
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — government
  13. ball — a great time
  14. staff — employees
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. ball — a dance
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. staff — employees
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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