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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: rule · fork · straw · mouse · safe · wax · rush · present

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — there
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wax — to grow
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rush — hurry
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rule — government
  19. present — a gift
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. mouse — for a computer

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