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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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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: cell · rash · rule · mark · tube · face · suit · court

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. cell — a phone
  3. rule — a law
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. court — for sport
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. court — of law
  10. court — of a king
  11. face — part of the head
  12. mark — a trace
  13. face — to point toward
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rule — government
  16. face — to confront
  17. cell — in biology
  18. tube — a container
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. suit — to fit
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rash — on the skin

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