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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. press — a publisher
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bat — the animal
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. press — newspapers
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. press — to push
  17. bass — the fish
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bass — low music
  24. pass — a permit

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