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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: rush · cap · tube · suit · mark · rule · fine · clip

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. cap — a lid
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. cap — of ice
  7. clip — to cut
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fine — high quality
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rule — a law
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. clip — a video
  14. suit — to fit
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. clip — for paper
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cap — a hat
  19. tube — a container
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. mark — a trace
  22. fine — all right
  23. rule — government
  24. tube — the underground

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