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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 116 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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. land — ground
  3. land — to come down
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. rule — government
  9. bear — the animal
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. branch — a division
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. land — a country
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rule — a law
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bass — the fish
  22. deal — to handle
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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