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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mug — a cup
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. season — in sport
  9. bass — low music
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bore — to drill
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. press — to push
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. root — of a plant
  16. mug — to rob
  17. root — of a word
  18. season — of the year
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. root — the cause
  23. mug — a face
  24. trunk — of a car

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