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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: rule · fall · patient · hide · rush · firm · staff · pop

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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. patient — a sick person
  5. rule — a law
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pop — soda
  10. staff — employees
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. staff — employees
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pop — music
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rush — hurry
  18. firm — decided
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fall — the season
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rule — government

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