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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · rule · capital · bass · firm · deal

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. firm — decided
  5. rule — a law
  6. capital — money
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bass — low music
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. firm — a company
  11. bass — the fish
  12. rule — government
  13. capital — a city
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. firm — steady
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bass — the instrument

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