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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: rush · fork · rule · cabinet · game · rest · bulb · calf

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rest — a break
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rule — a law
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rule — government
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. fork — in a road
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. game — a match
  18. game — wild animals
  19. rush — hurry
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. calf — of the leg

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