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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: press · rash · perch · wound · bear · bass · mark · board

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — to push
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bear — the animal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rash — a series
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. bass — the fish
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bass — low music
  20. wound — an injury
  21. press — newspapers
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. bear — to put up with

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