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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. suit — to fit
  4. press — a publisher
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. face — part of the head
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. press — to push
  12. bass — low music
  13. perch — the fish
  14. swing — to play on
  15. press — newspapers
  16. swing — music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. face — to point toward
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. suit — clothes
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bark — to shout
  24. face — to confront

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