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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. press — to push
  10. drill — a practice
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. drill — army training
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. cap — of ice
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. cap — a hat
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bass — low music
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. drill — the tool
  23. cap — a lid
  24. hide — to keep secret

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