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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. swing — music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. press — newspapers
  11. fine — all right
  12. swing — in golf
  13. press — to push
  14. spring — of water
  15. toast — bread
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. swing — to play on
  19. clip — to cut
  20. fine — high quality
  21. spring — the season
  22. clip — a video
  23. spring — a coil
  24. clip — for paper

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