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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: stand · present · rock · leaves · cell · ruler · fork · nail

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rock — music
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. cell — a phone
  11. fork — in a road
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rock — a stone
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. present — the time now
  21. cell — in biology
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stand — to bear

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