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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bass — low music
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. press — newspapers
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. wound — an injury
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wound — an injury
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. rest — a break
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. press — to push
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. press — a publisher
  24. dip — to sink

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