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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rule — government
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — all right
  6. toast — bread
  7. vault — a safe
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. rest — a break
  15. bass — the fish
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rock — music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. rest — what's left
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rule — a law
  24. rock — to move gently

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