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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. can — a tin
  3. bass — low music
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. press — to push
  7. press — a publisher
  8. toast — bread
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — a contest
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bass — the fish
  17. can — to be able to
  18. press — newspapers
  19. can — a tin
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. race — humankind
  22. foot — a measure
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bass — the instrument

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