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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: pop · firm · spell · hand · saw · chair · rule · rush

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. hand — in cards
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — letters
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. hand — help
  11. saw — the tool
  12. firm — decided
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. rule — government
  15. pop — music
  16. firm — steady
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. pop — soda
  20. rule — a law
  21. pop — to visit
  22. firm — a company
  23. rush — hurry
  24. chair — a leader

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