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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. suit — to fit
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. press — a publisher
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. suit — in cards
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. press — newspapers
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. season — in sport
  17. wind — moving air
  18. press — to push
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. perch — the fish
  22. season — of the year
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. wind — moving air

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