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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: squash · bass · bowl · ground · staff · jam · press · track

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. squash — the sport
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. staff — employees
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. staff — a stick
  8. ground — crushed
  9. track — to keep track
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. ground — the earth
  13. press — a publisher
  14. staff — employees
  15. ground — a position
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bass — low music
  18. press — to push
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. track — a path
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. track — a song
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. squash — to crush

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