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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: pit · racket · lie · leaves · rash · bay · rule · court

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rule — government
  3. pit — a hole
  4. court — of law
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rule — a law
  9. pit — in a race
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — for sport
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rash — hasty
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. lie — to recline
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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