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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — completely
  4. firm — decided
  5. cap — a hat
  6. staff — employees
  7. wind — moving air
  8. firm — a company
  9. staff — a stick
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stem — to come from
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — low music
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. cap — a lid
  17. press — to push
  18. staff — employees
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. press — newspapers
  21. cap — of ice
  22. firm — steady
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. stem — a stem cell

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