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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. net — in sport
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. date — the fruit
  15. capital — money
  16. net — after costs
  17. rule — government
  18. capital — a city
  19. net — for catching
  20. rest — a break
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — a series

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