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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: rash · bass · wave · rule · chest · mark · band · suit

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  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. mark — a grade
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. suit — clothes
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rule — government
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bass — the fish
  12. suit — in cards
  13. chest — of your body
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. chest — of your body
  19. band — a ring
  20. bass — low music
  21. rash — a series
  22. chest — a box
  23. band — a music group
  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