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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. press — newspapers
  3. march — music
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. march — the month
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bass — low music
  11. land — ground
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. march — the month
  14. bass — the fish
  15. press — to push
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. roll — a list
  21. press — a publisher
  22. land — to come down
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — the earth

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