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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: fine · jam · wave · press · pop · bore · bass · fall

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. press — to push
  4. bass — the fish
  5. press — a publisher
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pop — soda
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bass — low music
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. pop — music
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — all right

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