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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: rule · capital · rash · spell · deal · mouse · mark · rush

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. capital — money
  8. rash — a series
  9. capital — a city
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. spell — letters
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rule — a law
  16. spell — magic
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. rule — government
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mouse — for a computer

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