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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bass — low music
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. press — newspapers
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. race — a contest
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. press — to push
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. swing — music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. swing — to play on
  17. race — humankind
  18. pit — a hole
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. swing — in golf
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. press — a publisher
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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