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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 124 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. press — to push
  3. bass — the fish
  4. swing — to play on
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pound — a weight
  9. track — a path
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. mark — a grade
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. track — a song
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. press — newspapers
  20. track — to keep track
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bass — low music

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