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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: ground · mine · tube · rule · bass · cap · coach · rock

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. cap — of ice
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bass — the fish
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. ground — a position
  7. tube — a container
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rule — government
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. cap — a lid
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bass — low music
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rock — music
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. cap — a hat
  19. ground — crushed
  20. rock — a stone
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. rule — a law
  23. tube — the underground
  24. coach — a trainer

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