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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. suit — to fit
  4. press — to push
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rule — a law
  7. swing — to play on
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. press — newspapers
  11. kick — in football
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pass — a permit
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. suit — in cards
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. rule — government
  18. swing — in golf
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. branch — a division

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