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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. press — newspapers
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bass — low music
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — from crying
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. press — to push
  14. band — a ring
  15. pit — a hole
  16. tear — to rip
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bass — the fish
  19. band — a music group
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. press — a publisher

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