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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — low music
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. date — the fruit
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. land — a country
  13. lie — to recline
  14. object — an aim
  15. land — to come down
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. object — a thing
  18. rule — a law
  19. object — to protest
  20. rule — government
  21. bass — the fish
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. land — ground

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