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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: cell · rule · jam · rash · cap · rest · racket · bank

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. rest — a break
  6. bank — for money
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rule — a law
  11. rash — a series
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bank — for money
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cell — in biology
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rule — government
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. cell — a phone
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — of ice
  24. rash — on the skin

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