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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. swing — in golf
  3. spell — magic
  4. press — a publisher
  5. fall — the season
  6. spell — a short time
  7. stand — to bear
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. cell — a phone
  10. object — to protest
  11. spell — letters
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. object — a thing
  15. swing — music
  16. cell — in biology
  17. object — an aim
  18. staff — employees
  19. press — to push
  20. fall — to drop
  21. swing — to play on
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. press — newspapers

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