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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bass — low music
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — to push
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. firm — a company
  8. key — the most important part
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. rush — hurry
  11. firm — decided
  12. key — for a lock
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. race — the arms race
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. race — a contest
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. firm — steady
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. race — humankind
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bass — the fish

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