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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: swing · object · rule · mug · pass · row · rest · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. object — to protest
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. rest — a break
  10. row — to paddle
  11. rule — government
  12. bass — the fish
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a face
  15. bass — low music
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rest — what's left
  18. swing — in golf
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. rest — what's left
  21. row — a line
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. rule — a law

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