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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. mark — a grade
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. track — a song
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bank — for money
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bank — for money
  12. press — a publisher
  13. scale — in music
  14. land — ground
  15. scale — size or range
  16. land — a country
  17. land — to come down
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. track — a path
  23. bass — low music
  24. mark — to pay attention

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