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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: press · track · racket · bass · present · rule

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. press — newspapers
  4. present — the time now
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. track — a song
  8. press — a publisher
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. rule — a law
  11. bass — the fish
  12. track — a path
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. press — to push
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rule — government
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — there

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