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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: suit · rush · mouse · hide · kick · file · stock · ruler

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. kick — in football
  6. rush — hurry
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. suit — clothes
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. file — a document
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. stock — shares
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. file — a tool
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. file — a line of people
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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