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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: season · pass · stand · rule · spell · rush · bark · squash

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rush — hurry
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rule — a law
  5. stand — to bear
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. spell — a short time
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pass — a permit
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rule — government
  21. spell — magic
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. spell — letters
  24. stand — for spectators

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