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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. squash — to crush
  7. perch — the fish
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a cup
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bass — low music
  12. current — of water
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. current — electric
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. current — happening now
  20. bass — the fish
  21. press — to push
  22. press — a publisher
  23. mug — a face
  24. leaves — to go away

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