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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 · saw · press · temple · charge · arm · present · pit

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. pit — a hole
  3. press — to push
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bass — the fish
  6. charge — a price
  7. present — the time now
  8. pit — in a race
  9. present — a gift
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bass — low music
  12. saw — the tool
  13. press — newspapers
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. saw — the tool
  16. charge — in control
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. press — a publisher
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. arm — part of the body

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