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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bass — low music
  4. cap — of ice
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. file — a document
  7. bass — the fish
  8. root — of a word
  9. mug — a face
  10. file — a tool
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. mug — a cup
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cap — a lid
  19. squash — the sport
  20. root — of a plant
  21. file — a line of people
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. root — the cause
  24. cap — a hat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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