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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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Word bank
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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: bass · charge · rule · season · rock · board · suit · content

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. charge — in control
  3. content — happy
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — music
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rule — government
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. board — to get on
  13. bass — the fish
  14. board — a committee
  15. charge — electricity
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. season — of the year
  18. bass — low music
  19. rule — a law
  20. season — in sport
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — the amount
  23. suit — to fit
  24. charge — a price

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