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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 116 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: mate · rule · deal · straw · last · game · suit · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — a partner
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. rule — a law
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. game — a match
  11. content — the amount
  12. last — finally
  13. last — to go on
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rule — government
  17. last — final
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. deal — to handle
  20. game — wild animals
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mate — to breed
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. content — happy

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