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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
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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: bear · rash · rush · mate · court · rule · squash · coach

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rule — government
  5. court — of law
  6. court — of a king
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. mate — a friend
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — a law
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rash — hasty
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. squash — to crush
  22. court — for sport
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rush — 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