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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: calf · foot · squash · rule · drill · suit · wake · fork

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. suit — clothes
  4. drill — the tool
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. drill — army training
  7. squash — the sport
  8. suit — in cards
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. fork — in a road
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. rule — a law
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. squash — to crush
  18. wake — a trail
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. drill — a practice
  21. suit — to fit
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. fork — to eat with

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