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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: stock · mate · bass · wake · bay · press · lie · pitcher

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. mate — a partner
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bass — low music
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mate — to breed
  16. stock — shares
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. press — a publisher
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stock — goods
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. lie — an untruth

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