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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 · pop · present · arm · saw · net · suit · cabinet

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pop — to visit
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pop — music
  9. suit — in cards
  10. present — the time now
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. net — in sport
  15. present — there
  16. suit — clothes
  17. present — a gift
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — for catching
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rule — government
  22. pop — soda
  23. suit — to fit
  24. saw — the 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