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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 · net · nail · present · staff · can · mate · rush

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mate — a friend
  3. net — after costs
  4. present — there
  5. can — a tin
  6. net — in sport
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — to breed
  10. rule — a law
  11. present — the time now
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. can — a tin
  16. rush — hurry
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. net — for catching
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. present — a gift
  23. staff — employees
  24. rule — government

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