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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. cold — an illness
  4. bass — the fish
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. press — newspapers
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — to get on
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. press — a publisher
  15. face — part of the head
  16. board — a committee
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cold — not warm
  19. face — to confront
  20. press — to push
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. season — of the year
  23. face — to point toward
  24. bass — low music

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