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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: bat · pitch · bank · cabinet · rule · bulb · court · suit

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. court — of a king
  3. rule — a law
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. court — for sport
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bulb — for light
  20. court — of law
  21. bank — for money
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — government

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