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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. board — to get on
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. mug — a face
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bass — the fish
  13. press — to push
  14. mug — to rob
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bass — low music
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mug — a cup
  20. suit — clothes
  21. board — a committee
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. suit — in cards
  24. press — newspapers

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