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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: object · rule · staff · swing · stick · cabinet

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. staff — employees
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — a law
  6. swing — to play on
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. staff — a stick
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. object — to protest
  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