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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — the fish
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. degree — an amount
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. degree — temperature
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. press — to push
  15. bass — low music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rock — music
  18. file — a line of people
  19. file — a document
  20. degree — from a university
  21. file — a tool
  22. press — newspapers
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. press — a publisher

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