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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: rule · board · bear · suit · rash · fork · band · pitch

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rule — a law
  4. suit — in cards
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rash — a series
  7. suit — to fit
  8. board — to get on
  9. band — a ring
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. band — a music group
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — government
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rash — hasty
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. fork — in a road
  22. board — a committee
  23. pitch — completely
  24. fork — a garden 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