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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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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: track · game · press · cabinet · mark · trunk · bass · mug

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — a face
  8. press — to push
  9. press — newspapers
  10. track — a song
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bass — low music
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. press — a publisher
  15. game — wild animals
  16. mark — a grade
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — the fish
  20. game — a match
  21. track — to keep track
  22. mug — to rob
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. track — a path

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