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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: bass · press · mark · object · lean · cue · cap · rest

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bass — low music
  3. object — a thing
  4. cap — a hat
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. press — to push
  10. lean — to bend
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. object — to protest
  15. cap — a lid
  16. lean — thin
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. mark — a trace
  19. cue — for pool
  20. press — newspapers
  21. mark — a grade
  22. object — an aim
  23. press — a publisher
  24. mark — to pay attention

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