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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.

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: rule · lie · racket · track · bowl · game · suit · rash

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. game — a match
  3. track — to keep track
  4. rash — a series
  5. track — a song
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rule — a law
  9. suit — to fit
  10. game — wild animals
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rule — government
  15. track — a path
  16. lie — to recline
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — hasty

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