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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. club — for dancing
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. hand — in cards
  9. bass — low music
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. fall — the season
  14. stock — goods
  15. fall — to drop
  16. press — to push
  17. hand — help
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. stock — shares
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. club — a group
  22. press — newspapers
  23. club — for golf
  24. bowl — a dish

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