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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. object — an aim
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rule — government
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. spring — a coil
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. object — a thing
  13. bass — the fish
  14. current — of water
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. current — electric
  17. spring — the season
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. current — happening now
  20. spring — of water
  21. chip — for betting
  22. rule — a law
  23. object — to protest
  24. chip — to eat

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