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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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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 · deal · arm · staff · toast · race · bat · rule

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  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. rule — a law
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. toast — bread
  4. staff — employees
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. staff — employees
  10. deal — to handle
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — humankind
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bat — the animal
  19. rule — government
  20. race — the arms race
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. arm — part of the body
  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