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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. pop — to visit
  4. press — newspapers
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pop — music
  7. press — to push
  8. pop — soda
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bass — the fish
  11. fork — in a road
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bass — low music
  14. press — a publisher
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. mine — belonging to me
  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