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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 120 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bass — low music
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. object — to protest
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bark — to shout
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cell — in biology
  13. press — to push
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — a phone
  18. object — a thing
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. season — of the year
  21. object — an aim
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. season — in sport
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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