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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: dip · mark · pass · bass · row · cabinet · rule · present

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. row — a line
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mark — a grade
  5. row — to paddle
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. present — there
  13. bass — low music
  14. rule — a law
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bass — the fish
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rule — government
  23. dip — to sink
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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