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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. court — of law
  4. bass — low music
  5. face — part of the head
  6. press — a publisher
  7. court — of a king
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wound — an injury
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pit — a hole
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. can — a tin
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. can — a tin
  19. face — to confront
  20. court — for sport
  21. bass — the fish
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pit — in a race
  24. wound — an injury

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