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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. ball — a dance
  3. hand — in cards
  4. rule — a law
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. hand — help
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — to bear
  14. suit — in cards
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rule — government
  18. rush — hurry

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