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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: wound · game · staff · rule · firm · rush · charge · last

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. firm — steady
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. game — a match
  5. firm — a company
  6. staff — employees
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. rule — a law
  9. game — wild animals
  10. staff — a stick
  11. wound — an injury
  12. last — finally
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. wound — an injury
  16. charge — electricity
  17. firm — decided
  18. last — final
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. last — to go on
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. staff — employees
  24. charge — a price

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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