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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: rock · season · mark · rule · cue · bass · mate · cabinet

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mate — a partner
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rock — music
  8. rule — government
  9. season — in sport
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mate — to breed
  14. rule — a law
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rock — a stone
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mate — a friend
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cue — a hint
  24. season — of the year

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