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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: hide · spell · arm · mate · cue · rule · fall · fork

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. mate — a partner
  3. spell — magic
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. rule — government
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. cue — for pool
  11. spell — letters
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a friend
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. cue — a hint
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. spell — a short time
  21. rule — a law
  22. fall — to drop
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. cue — a signal

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