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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: rule · key · kid · bank · race · pitch · suit · mate

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mate — a friend
  4. race — the arms race
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mate — a partner
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bank — of a river
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bank — for money
  14. pitch — completely
  15. race — humankind
  16. rule — government
  17. kid — child
  18. bank — for money
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — in music
  22. kid — to tease
  23. race — a contest
  24. suit — in cards

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