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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 120 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 · rush · kick · face · chair · file · safe · mug

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a cup
  6. file — a line of people
  7. face — to point toward
  8. mug — a face
  9. rush — hurry
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. face — to confront
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. face — part of the head
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. chair — a leader
  17. file — a document
  18. rule — government
  19. file — a tool
  20. kick — in football
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. rule — a law
  24. kick — with a leg

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