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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: nail · fork · game · fall · kick · ruler · jam · rule

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. game — wild animals
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fall — to drop
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rule — government
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. fall — to drop
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. rule — a law
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. fall — the season
  23. game — a match
  24. ruler — a monarch

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