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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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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 · rule · fork · wind · suit · pop · rush · bay

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  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 — to hurry
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — music
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. rule — a law
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. wind — moving air
  11. rush — hurry
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pop — to visit
  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