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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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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: pit · club · mug · bowl · mark · rash · kid · rule

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. rule — government
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — a group
  7. kid — child
  8. rule — a law
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. pit — a hole
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pit — in a race
  21. rash — a series
  22. mug — a face
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. rash — hasty

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