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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 · pitcher · current · plane · ball · trunk · scale

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. current — happening now
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. current — electric
  10. scale — in music
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. plane — a tool
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. press — to push
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bass — the fish
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bass — low music
  21. ball — a dance
  22. current — of water
  23. press — newspapers
  24. plane — an aircraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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