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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 112 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: suit · rest · file · fall · rule · chair · dip · deal

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. file — a tool
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. fall — to drop
  6. file — a document
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. fall — to drop
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rest — a break
  12. chair — a leader
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. deal — to handle
  17. file — a line of people
  18. fall — the season
  19. dip — to sink
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. rule — government
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rule — a law

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