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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: craft · season · toast · rule · drill · pitch · rest · bass

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. toast — bread
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rule — government
  5. bass — low music
  6. drill — the tool
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. season — of the year
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pitch — completely
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. season — in sport
  23. bass — the fish
  24. rest — a break

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