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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: bass · bulb · rule · cue · bank · pit · land · bark

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bass — the fish
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rule — a law
  6. bank — for money
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. land — ground
  10. rule — government
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bark — to shout
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. land — to come down
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bass — low music
  21. bank — for money
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. land — a country

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