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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: rule · rest · mouse · stick · bear · staff

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rule — a law
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rest — what's left
  8. staff — employees
  9. rule — government
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. staff — employees
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rest — a break
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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