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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — to push
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rule — a law
  13. bass — low music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mug — a cup
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. bass — the fish
  20. press — newspapers
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. can — a tin
  24. mug — a face

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