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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: rush · row · rash · stick · firm · roll · fall · suit

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. row — a line
  6. firm — steady
  7. fall — to drop
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. fall — to drop
  12. firm — decided
  13. roll — a cake
  14. firm — a company
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. row — to paddle
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fall — the season
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a list
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. suit — in cards

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