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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. spring — a coil
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fine — all right
  8. pop — soda
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. fine — high quality
  12. cue — a signal
  13. press — a publisher
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bore — to tire
  16. spring — the season
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bore — to drill
  19. press — to push
  20. spring — of water
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pop — music
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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