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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.

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: bay · rash · rule · nail · rock · field · stand · fine

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rock — music
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. field — farmland
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fine — all right
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fine — high quality
  15. field — for sport
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rule — government
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rule — a law
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. field — a subject
  24. rash — a series

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