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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  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 — low music
  2. press — to push
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pop — music
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. can — a tin
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bass — the fish
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. can — to be able to
  16. date — the fruit
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. can — a tin
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. date — on the calendar
  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