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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rule — government
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rule — a law
  22. bass — low music
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. chair — a leader

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