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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bank — for money
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. root — of a plant
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bass — low music
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bank — for money
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bank — of a river
  13. rule — government
  14. fall — the season
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. charge — a price
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mine — for digging
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. root — of a word
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. root — the cause
  23. rule — a law
  24. mouse — the animal

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