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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — the fish
  3. press — a publisher
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. key — for a lock
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bass — low music
  9. current — happening now
  10. wake — a trail
  11. current — electric
  12. key — in music
  13. press — to push
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. key — the most important part
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. press — newspapers
  22. current — of water
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bulb — for light

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