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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 120 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rock — a stone
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. court — for sport
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. court — of law
  10. bass — low music
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bass — the fish
  14. rest — what's left
  15. press — to push
  16. rest — what's left
  17. press — newspapers
  18. rest — a break
  19. court — of a king
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. press — a publisher
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rock — 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