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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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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: bear · rule · hide · lie · tube · pound · bowl · suit

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. suit — to fit
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pound — a weight
  10. rule — government
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. tube — a container
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. suit — in cards
  24. tube — in a tire

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