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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: trunk · cabinet · shower · rule · toast · bass · pitch · pass

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bass — low music
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. toast — bread
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. rule — a law
  15. pass — a permit
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bass — the fish
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. pitch — completely

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