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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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468
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 · stick · rash · staff · firm · game · present · pitch

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. game — wild animals
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. present — the time now
  4. game — a match
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rule — a law
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. present — there
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pitch — completely
  13. firm — a company
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rule — government
  16. staff — employees
  17. rash — hasty
  18. present — a gift
  19. firm — steady
  20. staff — employees
  21. firm — decided
  22. rash — a series
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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