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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: rule · snap · trunk · rest · deal · staff

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. rest — what's left
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. snap — to click
  7. rest — a break
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rule — government
  10. staff — employees
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. deal — to handle
  13. staff — a stick
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. rule — a law
  18. staff — employees

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