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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: racket · suit · face · race · rule · bay · drill · net

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. suit — clothes
  3. face — to confront
  4. race — a contest
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. drill — army training
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. face — part of the head
  9. net — after costs
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. suit — in cards
  12. drill — a practice
  13. rule — government
  14. face — to point toward
  15. net — in sport
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. drill — the tool
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. rule — a law
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — humankind
  23. net — for catching
  24. suit — to fit

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