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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.

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: rush · fine · ruler · spell · march · fork · mouse · cell

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. march — the month
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. spell — letters
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. march — the month
  12. spell — magic
  13. cell — a phone
  14. fine — all right
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. march — music
  17. spell — a short time
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. fine — high quality
  20. cell — in biology
  21. fork — in a road
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rush — hurry
  24. mouse — the animal

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