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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 120 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: current · rash · rule · cell · deal · race · pitch · bore

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pitch — completely
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. rule — government
  11. cell — a phone
  12. current — of water
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rash — a series
  15. race — a contest
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. race — humankind
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. cell — in biology
  23. rash — hasty
  24. deal — an agreement

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