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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: kid · suit · can · rule · board · arm · roll · rush

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. rule — government
  3. kid — child
  4. board — a committee
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rule — a law
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. kid — to tease
  10. board — to get on
  11. rush — hurry
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. can — a tin
  14. suit — in cards
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. can — a tin
  18. roll — a cake
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. suit — to fit
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. can — to be able to

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