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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: band · suit · rash · fan · board · kid · ruler · rush

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. kid — child
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. board — a committee
  5. kid — to tease
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rash — hasty
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. board — to get on
  13. band — a ring
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. rash — a series
  16. rush — hurry
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. suit — clothes
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a music group
  24. suit — to fit

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