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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 116 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 · bay · kick · suit · perch · rush · straw · ball

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. perch — the fish
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rule — government
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. suit — to fit
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rush — hurry
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rule — a law
  23. suit — clothes
  24. kick — in football

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