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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: bass · rule · cue · rush · safe · fine · wake · net

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  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. fine — all right
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bass — low music
  5. cue — a signal
  6. net — in sport
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. cue — for pool
  10. fine — high quality
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rush — hurry
  14. net — for catching
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rule — government
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wake — a trail
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. net — after costs
  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