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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. spell — a short time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. root — the cause
  8. staff — a stick
  9. press — to push
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. staff — employees
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. spell — magic
  17. pass — a permit
  18. press — newspapers
  19. spell — letters
  20. ball — a dance
  21. press — a publisher
  22. chair — a leader
  23. staff — employees
  24. chair — to sit on

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