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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. press — newspapers
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. club — for golf
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. press — a publisher
  13. fine — all right
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bass — low music
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bass — the fish
  20. club — a group
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rash — a series
  23. club — for dancing
  24. press — to push

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