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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: rash · rule · wind · rush · jam · coach · mate · nail

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. rule — government
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. wind — moving air
  7. mate — to breed
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rash — hasty
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mate — a friend
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. rash — a series
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rule — a law
  23. mate — a partner
  24. wind — moving air

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