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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: suit · rule · race · cabinet · bore · pitch · tube · roll

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rule — government
  6. roll — a cake
  7. race — humankind
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. tube — a container
  12. bore — to drill
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. pitch — completely
  17. race — the arms race
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bore — to tire
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rule — a law
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. roll — a list
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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