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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: stand · pass · rule · hide · rash · last · squash · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pass — a permit
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. last — finally
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. last — final
  13. rule — government
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. last — to go on
  18. squash — to crush
  19. foot — a measure
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. rash — hasty
  22. squash — the sport
  23. rash — a series
  24. rule — a law

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