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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: rule · firm · pitch · shower · degree · ruler · bass · cue

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. pitch — completely
  5. rule — government
  6. bass — the fish
  7. shower — to wash
  8. cue — a signal
  9. firm — steady
  10. rule — a law
  11. cue — for pool
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. degree — from a university
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. firm — decided
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. degree — temperature
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. firm — a company
  20. cue — a hint
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bass — low music
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. shower — rain

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