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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. rule — a law
  4. fall — the season
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rock — music
  8. fall — to drop
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rule — government
  12. bass — low music
  13. wind — moving air
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. wind — moving air
  16. plane — a tool
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rock — a stone
  20. branch — a division
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. plane — an aircraft

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