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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: rule · kid · tube · fork · nail · fine · dip · cell

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. tube — a container
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. cell — in biology
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. fine — high quality
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. fork — in a road
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. dip — to sink
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. kid — child
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. kid — to tease
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. fine — all right
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. tube — the underground
  22. cell — a phone
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rule — a law

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