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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.

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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: bark · racket · pit · bass · march · press · stand · snap

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. stand — to bear
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. pit — a hole
  6. press — a publisher
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. press — newspapers
  11. snap — to click
  12. march — music
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — low music
  15. press — to push
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pit — in a race
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. march — the month
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. march — the month

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