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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.

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: ruler · rush · staff · chest · deal · suit · ball · hide

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. chest — of your body
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. staff — employees
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. chest — of your body
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. suit — clothes
  18. chest — a box
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. staff — a stick
  23. suit — in cards
  24. staff — employees

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