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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bass · rest · rule · stick · spell · object · rash · nail

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. spell — letters
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rule — government
  5. object — an aim
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — low music
  8. rest — a break
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. rash — a series
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. spell — magic
  17. object — a thing
  18. rule — a law
  19. spell — a short time
  20. object — to protest
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rest — what's left

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