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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bass — the fish
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rock — music
  8. wake — a trail
  9. rock — a stone
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rule — government
  13. charge — electricity
  14. swing — music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. charge — in control
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bank — for money
  21. bass — low music
  22. swing — in golf
  23. charge — a price
  24. rule — a law

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