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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 · stand · face · rush · staff · pop · bore · ground

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. face — part of the head
  3. ground — a position
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rule — a law
  6. face — to point toward
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. face — to confront
  9. bore — to tire
  10. ground — crushed
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bore — to drill
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — soda
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rule — government
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. staff — employees
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. ground — the earth
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. staff — employees

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