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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
468
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: cap · bass · coach · tube · nail · rule · fine · racket

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. cap — a hat
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. tube — the underground
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rule — a law
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. tube — a container
  14. fine — all right
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bass — the fish
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bass — low music
  20. fine — high quality
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. rule — government
  24. cap — of ice

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