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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: drill · clip · bound · dip · press · fine · mark · bass

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. clip — for paper
  3. press — newspapers
  4. drill — the tool
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fine — high quality
  8. press — to push
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mark — a grade
  13. dip — to sink
  14. drill — army training
  15. bound — tied together
  16. drill — a practice
  17. clip — to cut
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bass — low music
  20. clip — a video
  21. bound — certain
  22. fine — all right
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bass — the fish

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