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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · court · current · rush · staff · spell · cabinet · bowl

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  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. current — of water
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. current — electric
  6. spell — letters
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. current — happening now
  12. court — of a king
  13. spell — magic
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rule — government
  16. court — of law
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. spell — a short time
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. staff — a stick
  22. court — for sport
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  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