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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitch — completely
  4. press — a publisher
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — a hat
  7. press — newspapers
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bass — low music
  10. ball — a great time
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cap — of ice
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rock — music
  15. ball — a dance
  16. press — to push
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bass — the fish

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