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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rock — music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bass — low music
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bass — the fish
  13. press — a publisher
  14. season — in sport
  15. press — to push
  16. season — of the year
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. press — newspapers
  20. tear — to rip
  21. mate — a friend
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. tear — from crying

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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