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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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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: rule · snap · drill · chip · foot · wake · cabinet · rush

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rush — hurry
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. chip — for betting
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. snap — to click
  8. foot — a measure
  9. rule — government
  10. wake — a trail
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. drill — a practice
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. drill — army training
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. drill — the tool
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rule — a law
  22. chip — to eat
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. rush — a thrill

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