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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. rule — government
  3. drill — the tool
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. court — for sport
  6. rock — a stone
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. court — of a king
  9. rule — a law
  10. rock — music
  11. drill — a practice
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. suit — to fit
  14. branch — a division
  15. drill — army training
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stock — shares
  19. court — of law
  20. bass — the fish
  21. stock — goods
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. rule — to rule out

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