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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · content · lie · fine · rule · kid · bowl · squash

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. kid — to tease
  4. fine — all right
  5. squash — to crush
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rule — government
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. rule — a law
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. content — the amount
  19. kid — child
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. suit — clothes
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. content — happy

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