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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: net · charge · stand · press · degree · wind · ball · bass

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — a price
  5. wind — moving air
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. net — for catching
  9. ball — a dance
  10. degree — temperature
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. charge — in control
  13. bass — the fish
  14. degree — an amount
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bass — low music
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. degree — from a university
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wind — moving air
  22. net — after costs
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. press — to push

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