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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: staff · rule · spell · rest · fine · rush · stick · bound

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rule — government
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rush — hurry
  6. spell — letters
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. staff — employees
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. staff — employees
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bound — certain
  17. fine — all right
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bound — obliged
  22. rule — a law
  23. rest — a break
  24. staff — a stick

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