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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: rush · mug · rule · jam · ruler · chair · face · net

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. mug — a face
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — after costs
  7. rule — a law
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. net — for catching
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — government
  15. mug — a cup
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. rush — hurry
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. face — to confront
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. chair — a leader

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