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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 116 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. press — a publisher
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. band — a music group
  6. track — to keep track
  7. net — after costs
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. track — a path
  11. net — in sport
  12. fine — high quality
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bass — low music
  15. rest — a break
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. rest — what's left
  20. band — a ring
  21. press — to push
  22. track — a song
  23. net — for catching
  24. bass — the fish

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