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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.

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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: firm · staff · rule · wound · lie · object · saw · rush

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wound — an injury
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rush — hurry
  6. lie — to recline
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. staff — a stick
  9. saw — the tool
  10. object — to protest
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. wound — an injury
  13. firm — a company
  14. rule — a law
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. staff — employees
  17. object — an aim
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. object — a thing
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. staff — employees
  23. rule — government
  24. firm — steady

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