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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 120 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bass — low music
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. firm — decided
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cap — a hat
  12. firm — steady
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bulb — for light
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bass — the fish
  19. firm — a company
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. cap — a lid
  23. press — to push
  24. cap — of ice

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