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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. press — a publisher
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. roll — a list
  7. stock — goods
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. ball — a great time
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. press — to push
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ball — a dance
  19. stock — shares
  20. press — newspapers
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bass — low music
  24. dip — a sauce

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