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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
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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: cabinet · date · bank · present · mug · bass · rule · face

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bass — low music
  6. date — the fruit
  7. present — a gift
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mug — a face
  11. rule — government
  12. mug — to rob
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. face — to confront
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. present — there
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. present — the time now
  23. face — to point toward
  24. rule — a law

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