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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cap — a hat
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. row — to paddle
  7. key — for a lock
  8. row — a line
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. key — the most important part
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. press — to push
  15. cap — of ice
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. cap — a lid
  18. key — in music
  19. bass — low music
  20. press — a publisher
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. press — newspapers

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