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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. march — the month
  3. staff — employees
  4. march — the month
  5. band — a ring
  6. band — a music group
  7. ball — a great time
  8. swing — to play on
  9. staff — a stick
  10. ball — a dance
  11. press — a publisher
  12. swing — in golf
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. press — to push
  15. staff — employees
  16. swing — music
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. march — music

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