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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 · wind · firm · pit · ball · bay · rush · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rule — government
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. firm — decided
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. firm — a company
  10. wind — moving air
  11. firm — steady
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rule — a law
  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