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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: coach · squash · drill · bark · rule · tube · mug · fork

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. mug — to rob
  3. tube — a container
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mug — a face
  7. squash — to crush
  8. bark — to shout
  9. drill — a practice
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. drill — army training
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rule — a law
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. drill — the tool
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. fork — in a road

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