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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 116 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: wake · rash · craft · rush · mouse · lie · rule · pound

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — a series
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. pound — a weight
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rule — a law
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rush — hurry
  18. craft — boats
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rule — government
  21. wake — a trail
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rash — on the skin

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