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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.

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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bore — to drill
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. row — a line
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — a division
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bass — low music
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. press — to push
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. row — to paddle
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. suit — clothes
  22. press — newspapers
  23. rest — what's left
  24. press — a publisher

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