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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. club — for dancing
  5. press — newspapers
  6. file — a document
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bulb — for light
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bulb — for light
  17. file — a tool
  18. press — to push
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. wound — an injury
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. press — a publisher
  23. swing — music
  24. file — a line of people

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