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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · bay · rock · file · press · pass · bass · arm

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. spring — the season
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. spring — of water
  6. press — to push
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. file — a document
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. file — a line of people
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bass — low music
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bass — the fish
  17. press — newspapers
  18. file — a tool
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. rock — music
  23. spring — a coil
  24. arm — part of the body

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