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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
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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 · spell · pound · file · stock · rush · squash · stick

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rule — a law
  6. file — a document
  7. pound — a weight
  8. rule — government
  9. stock — shares
  10. file — a tool
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. spell — letters
  14. rush — hurry
  15. spell — magic
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stock — goods
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. spell — a short time
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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