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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 120 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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — the fish
  3. rule — a law
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tube — the underground
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bass — low music
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bear — the animal
  12. prune — to trim
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. rule — government
  16. season — in sport
  17. bear — the animal
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. season — of the year
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. tube — a container

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