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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: bat · rule · rash · drill · suit · pass · lean · fan

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  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. lean — to rest against
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rash — hasty
  7. lean — to bend
  8. suit — to fit
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rule — a law
  13. bat — the animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. drill — a practice
  16. lean — thin
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. drill — army training
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rash — a series
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. rule — government
  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