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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 120 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
468
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: stick · bay · fan · rush · pass · rule · sharp · staff

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. rule — a law
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. staff — employees
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. staff — employees
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pass — a permit
  18. rule — government
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. rush — hurry

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