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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: key · saw · suit · hide · field · rule · pit · ball

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. ball — a dance
  3. suit — clothes
  4. key — in music
  5. pit — a hole
  6. saw — the tool
  7. suit — in cards
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. rule — a law
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. key — the most important part
  12. ball — a great time
  13. key — for a lock
  14. field — a subject
  15. suit — to fit
  16. field — farmland
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rule — government
  23. field — for sport
  24. saw — the tool

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