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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: key · rule · racket · toast · rash · cap · roll · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. cap — a lid
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cap — a hat
  5. toast — bread
  6. rule — a law
  7. rest — what's left
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — hasty
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. key — for a lock
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. rest — a break
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. key — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. cap — of ice
  24. rule — government

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