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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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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cap — of ice
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — music
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — to push
  9. press — newspapers
  10. cap — a lid
  11. net — in sport
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cap — a hat
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. net — for catching
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. net — after costs
  18. trunk — of an elephant

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