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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 120 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 · stick · sharp · mate · ground · rush · content · fine

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. rule — a law
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rush — hurry
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rule — government
  10. mate — to breed
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. content — the amount
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mate — a partner
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — all right
  18. mate — a friend
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — the earth
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. ground — crushed
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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