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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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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: fork · deal · mouse · fan · spring · hide · rule · date

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. spring — the season
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rule — government
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fork — in a road
  15. rule — a law
  16. deal — to handle
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. spring — of water
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. spring — a coil
  24. rule — to rule out

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