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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 120 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: racket · rule · mark · suit · wound · cap · row · mine

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mine — for digging
  9. rule — a law
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. row — a line
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mark — a grade
  15. cap — of ice
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mark — a trace
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. rule — government
  24. wound — an injury

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