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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. hand — help
  8. band — a ring
  9. rest — what's left
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rest — a break
  13. rule — government
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. mark — a trace
  18. band — a music group
  19. rule — a law
  20. rest — what's left
  21. date — the fruit
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. mark — a grade
  24. hand — in cards

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