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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. face — to point toward
  4. present — there
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. present — the time now
  7. pop — soda
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pop — to visit
  11. present — a gift
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. kid — child
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — a law
  19. rock — music
  20. pop — music
  21. kid — to tease
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — the fish
  24. face — to confront

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