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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: rest · game · rash · dip · pass · pit · bowl · rule

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. rule — government
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. rash — a series
  12. rule — a law
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rash — hasty
  15. game — a match
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. game — wild animals
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bowl — to roll

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