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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 · stem · fine · pound · rush · mouse · press · bowl

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bass — low music
  7. press — to push
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pound — a weight
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — all right
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — a stem cell

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