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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 116 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: bass · net · degree · swing · press · court · mug · pitcher

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bass — low music
  6. degree — temperature
  7. net — in sport
  8. swing — music
  9. net — for catching
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — a face
  12. degree — an amount
  13. swing — to play on
  14. court — for sport
  15. degree — from a university
  16. court — of law
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. court — of a king
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. swing — in golf
  21. mug — to rob
  22. press — to push
  23. net — after costs
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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