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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. mug — a cup
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. press — a publisher
  8. foot — a measure
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bass — the fish
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. press — newspapers
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. press — to push
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a face
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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