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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
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: pit · jam · bass · press · swing · shower · mate · field

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. swing — music
  5. press — newspapers
  6. field — farmland
  7. field — for sport
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. mate — to breed
  11. pit — in a race
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. swing — to play on
  14. field — a subject
  15. mate — a friend
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — rain
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bass — low music
  20. mate — a partner
  21. press — to push
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. swing — in golf
  24. press — a publisher

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