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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: bay · suit · band · chip · lie · rash · rule · racket

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rule — government
  4. band — a music group
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rash — a series
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. band — a ring
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rule — a law
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. rash — hasty
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lie — to recline
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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