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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 120 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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bass — the fish
  3. present — the time now
  4. bass — low music
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. band — a ring
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. present — there
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. rush — hurry
  11. press — newspapers
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. press — a publisher
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. press — to push
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. present — a gift
  24. stem — to come from

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