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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. press — a publisher
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. last — to go on
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. press — to push
  10. shower — rain
  11. board — to get on
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. last — final
  14. shower — to wash
  15. last — finally
  16. press — newspapers
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. board — a committee
  20. mug — to rob
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. mug — a face

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