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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. ball — a great time
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stem — to come from
  5. ball — a dance
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. press — to push
  8. cue — a hint
  9. staff — a stick
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bass — low music
  12. staff — employees
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bass — the fish
  17. press — a publisher
  18. cue — a signal
  19. press — newspapers
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. perch — the fish
  23. staff — employees
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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