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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fine — high quality
  3. press — newspapers
  4. spring — a coil
  5. spring — of water
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — a trace
  9. fine — all right
  10. dip — to sink
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — low music
  15. press — to push
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. snap — to click
  19. bass — the fish
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. press — a publisher
  24. spring — the season

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