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

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. bass — the fish
  2. fall — the season
  3. bass — low music
  4. rule — a law
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. press — to push
  7. bark — to shout
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bore — to tire
  11. rule — government
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pass — a permit
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. fall — to drop
  20. press — a publisher
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bore — to drill
  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