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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: coach · bass · suit · rule · ball · rock · clip · perch

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. clip — a video
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bass — the fish
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. rock — a stone
  10. clip — to cut
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bass — low music
  13. suit — in cards
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. clip — for paper
  18. rule — a law
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. suit — to fit
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rock — music

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