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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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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: object · cap · rule · bass · face · cue · swing · rock

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. face — to point toward
  3. swing — to play on
  4. rock — music
  5. swing — music
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. object — an aim
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cue — for pool
  10. rule — a law
  11. face — to confront
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rock — a stone
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. cap — a hat
  19. face — part of the head
  20. cue — a signal
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — a thing
  23. rule — government
  24. bass — low music

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