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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: trunk · march · chair · club · bass · press · firm · shower

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. shower — rain
  3. press — newspapers
  4. firm — a company
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. club — a group
  7. march — the month
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. chair — a leader
  11. march — music
  12. press — a publisher
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. press — to push
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bass — low music
  17. club — for golf
  18. bass — the fish
  19. march — the month
  20. club — for dancing
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. chair — a professorship

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