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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rash — hasty
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. band — a ring
  7. roll — a list
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. rule — a law
  10. band — a music group
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rule — government
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. pit — in a race
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. rash — a series
  20. pit — a hole
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. roll — a cake
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. racket — for tennis

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