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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rule — a law
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bass — low music
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pass — a permit
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rash — a series
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rock — music
  20. row — a line
  21. vault — a safe
  22. rule — government
  23. row — to paddle
  24. rock — to move gently

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