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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: pit · bass · rule · suit · charge · mark · club · chair

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. suit — in cards
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. rule — a law
  7. club — for dancing
  8. suit — to fit
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pit — a hole
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bass — low music
  17. chair — a leader
  18. charge — in control
  19. mark — a trace
  20. club — for golf
  21. rule — government
  22. bass — the fish
  23. charge — a price
  24. club — a group

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