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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. can — a tin
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bass — the fish
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. can — a tin
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chip — to eat
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bass — low music
  18. prune — to trim
  19. chip — for betting
  20. prune — to trim
  21. press — a publisher
  22. deal — to handle
  23. press — to push
  24. toast — bread

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