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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 120 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: spell · tube · season · cue · ball · net · rule · bass

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. net — in sport
  4. bass — low music
  5. rule — a law
  6. tube — a container
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. rule — government
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bass — the fish
  12. spell — a short time
  13. cue — a signal
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. spell — magic
  16. tube — the underground
  17. cue — a hint
  18. net — after costs
  19. spell — letters
  20. season — in sport
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. cue — for pool
  23. net — for catching
  24. season — of the year

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