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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. press — to push
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. press — newspapers
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. bass — the fish
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bass — low music
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. squash — to crush
  14. season — of the year
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. fine — all right
  17. season — in sport
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. squash — the sport
  23. game — a match
  24. pitcher — a jug

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