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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 120 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bank — of a river
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. rule — a law
  10. bass — the fish
  11. rule — government
  12. bass — low music
  13. season — of the year
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bank — for money
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. season — in sport
  24. chip — in a computer

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