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

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rash — a series
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. rash — hasty
  5. staff — employees
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. cell — in biology
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rest — what's left
  10. staff — employees
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the sport
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — the season
  15. suit — to fit
  16. spring — of water
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rest — a break
  19. rule — government
  20. staff — a stick
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cell — a phone
  24. rule — a law

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