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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: coach · bass · rule · bay · row · deal · pass · arm

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rule — a law
  5. row — a line
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bass — low music
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. row — to paddle
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rule — government
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. pass — a permit

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