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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. cue — a signal
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. cue — for pool
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. cue — a hint
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. scale — in music
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. press — newspapers
  18. rule — government
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rule — a law
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. press — a publisher
  24. scale — size or range

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