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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: game · rule · trunk · rush · bowl · fine · saw · ball

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. ball — a great time
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rule — government
  12. game — wild animals
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rule — a law
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rush — hurry
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. trunk — of a car

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