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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 116 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: leaves · race · rush · nail · stand · spell · rule · charge

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rule — a law
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. spell — a short time
  10. race — the arms race
  11. spell — magic
  12. stand — to bear
  13. charge — in control
  14. spell — letters
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. charge — a price
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — government
  20. race — a contest
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. race — humankind
  23. rush — hurry
  24. charge — electricity

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