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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. club — for dancing
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. club — for golf
  6. hand — in cards
  7. stand — to bear
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bass — low music
  10. press — a publisher
  11. fall — the season
  12. press — to push
  13. hand — help
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — a grade
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fall — to drop
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. club — a group
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. fall — to drop

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