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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 120 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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. game — wild animals
  3. press — a publisher
  4. firm — a company
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. press — newspapers
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. rock — music
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — in golf
  16. mate — a partner
  17. rest — what's left
  18. swing — to play on
  19. press — to push
  20. firm — decided
  21. mate — a friend
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rest — a break
  24. game — a match

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