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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 120 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: pop · press · bass · board · cell · swing · stock · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bass — low music
  3. board — to get on
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cell — in biology
  7. stock — shares
  8. press — to push
  9. stock — goods
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pop — music
  13. swing — music
  14. board — a committee
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. swing — in golf
  17. pop — to visit
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bass — the fish
  21. pop — soda
  22. swing — to play on
  23. cell — a phone
  24. board — a flat piece

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