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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. net — for catching
  3. prune — to trim
  4. press — newspapers
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — in sport
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. foot — a measure
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bass — the fish
  11. press — to push
  12. date — the fruit
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bass — low music
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a grade
  22. press — a publisher
  23. prune — to trim
  24. foot — part of the body

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