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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: rule · suit · track · pit · hide · ruler

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. suit — clothes
  4. track — a song
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. pit — a hole
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rule — a law
  13. suit — to fit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pit — in a race
  16. track — a path
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. suit — 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