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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rush · fork · pitcher · ruler · kick · band · season · suit

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. fork — in a road
  12. season — of the year
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. suit — in cards
  15. band — a ring
  16. season — in sport
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. band — a music group
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rush — hurry
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. kick — in football

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