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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mark — a grade
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bass — the fish
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. press — to push
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. press — newspapers
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mark — a trace
  13. press — a publisher
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bass — low music
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. nail — for a hammer

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