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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 120 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: spring · bank · suit · pop · mate · bass · object · rule

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. object — to protest
  3. spring — a coil
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pop — to visit
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bank — for money
  8. bass — low music
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pop — soda
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. rule — a law
  14. mate — a friend
  15. rule — government
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bass — the fish
  19. suit — in cards
  20. spring — of water
  21. pop — music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rule — to rule out

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