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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 120 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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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: file · stand · deal · rule · firm · hand · rest · cue

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rule — government
  3. firm — steady
  4. file — a line of people
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. file — a tool
  8. stand — to bear
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. rule — a law
  11. cue — for pool
  12. firm — a company
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. cue — a signal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. file — a document
  18. hand — help
  19. firm — decided
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. hand — in cards
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. deal — to handle

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