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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. board — a committee
  5. press — a publisher
  6. board — to get on
  7. vault — a safe
  8. rule — a law
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. press — newspapers
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. ball — a dance
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bass — low music
  17. press — to push
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rule — government
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bass — the fish
  24. leaves — lets stay

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