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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: press · ball · trunk · hide · season · land · bay · bass

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. press — newspapers
  3. land — ground
  4. land — to come down
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. ball — a dance
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. press — to push
  11. bass — low music
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. land — a country
  21. season — in sport
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. trunk — of a tree

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