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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 116 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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — to push
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bass — low music
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bore — to drill
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pass — a permit
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. can — a tin
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. can — a tin
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. can — to be able to

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