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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 116 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
468
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: leaves · ball · kid · face · rule · suit · band · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. suit — in cards
  3. band — a music group
  4. track — to keep track
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. kid — to tease
  10. face — to confront
  11. rule — government
  12. band — a ring
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. track — a path
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. face — to point toward
  18. rule — a law
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. ball — a great time
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. kid — child
  23. ball — a dance
  24. face — part of the head

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