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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. field — for sport
  3. press — to push
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pop — music
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. press — newspapers
  9. field — a subject
  10. press — a publisher
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. field — farmland
  14. cell — in biology
  15. pop — soda
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bass — low music
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a friend
  22. cell — a phone
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mouse — the animal

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