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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bass — the fish
  5. press — a publisher
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. press — to push
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bass — low music
  11. press — newspapers
  12. suit — clothes
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — for betting
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wind — moving air

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