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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 · cue · season · lie · band · bat · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bass — the fish
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. season — in sport
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. band — a ring
  12. charge — a price
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bass — low music
  15. cue — for pool
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. band — a music group
  19. season — of the year
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. cue — a hint
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. cue — a signal

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