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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mark · suit · game · bear · rule · track · band · chair

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. track — to keep track
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a ring
  9. game — wild animals
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bear — the animal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. chair — a leader
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. game — a match
  17. rule — a law
  18. track — a song
  19. mark — a grade
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bear — the animal
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. bear — to put up with

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