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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: suit · rush · bore · spell · rash · land · club · stand

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — hasty
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. spell — letters
  6. bore — to tire
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. club — for golf
  13. land — to come down
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rush — hurry
  16. spell — magic
  17. land — a country
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — a group
  20. land — ground
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. spell — a short time
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rush — to hurry

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