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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. ground — crushed
  6. march — music
  7. march — the month
  8. bass — low music
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — in sport
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. press — a publisher
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. mine — for digging
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bass — the fish
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — to push
  23. ground — a position
  24. march — the month

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