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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: rule · pitch · rash · deal · mark · nail · wake · court

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mark — a grade
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. court — of a king
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rule — government
  17. court — of law
  18. rule — a law
  19. rash — a series
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. court — for sport

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