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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.

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: craft · present · rush · fan · rule · mark · wind · suit

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rush — hurry
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mark — a trace
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — there
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government
  19. mark — a grade
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. craft — boats
  24. rule — to rule out

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