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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.

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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 · stem · craft · drill · suit · rash · hand · sharp

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. hand — in cards
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rash — a series
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. drill — a practice
  9. craft — a skill
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. suit — in cards
  15. drill — the tool
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. drill — army training
  18. rule — government
  19. craft — boats
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. hand — help
  22. rule — a law
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. suit — to fit

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