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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: pound · rash · foot · rule · stand · charge · bay · rush

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. stand — to bear
  5. charge — a price
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rush — hurry
  8. charge — in control
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. foot — a measure
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rule — government
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. pound — a weight
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pound — for dogs

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