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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pop — music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pop — to visit
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bass — low music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wound — an injury
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — to crush
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. press — a publisher
  15. squash — the sport
  16. roll — a list
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. press — newspapers
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. press — to push
  24. pop — soda

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