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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 124 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. scale — in music
  3. press — to push
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bass — the fish
  7. mate — to breed
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cap — of ice
  11. content — the amount
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. press — newspapers
  14. content — happy
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. scale — size or range
  20. press — a publisher
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bass — low music
  24. mate — a partner

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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