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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: fine · rush · rule · bass · roll · capital · coach · pitch

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fine — all right
  3. capital — a city
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rule — government
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bass — low music
  12. roll — a cake
  13. rule — a law
  14. capital — money
  15. pitch — completely
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. rush — hurry
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. roll — a list

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