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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: chair · bass · press · ball · craft · charge · stem · fan

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. press — to push
  3. craft — boats
  4. press — a publisher
  5. charge — a price
  6. ball — a dance
  7. craft — a skill
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. charge — in control
  12. stem — to come from
  13. press — newspapers
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bass — low music
  17. charge — electricity
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chair — a leader
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. ball — a round shape

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