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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. press — newspapers
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — music
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. root — of a plant
  9. craft — boats
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. wound — an injury
  13. press — to push
  14. bulb — for light
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — wild animals
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bulb — for light
  21. craft — a skill
  22. swing — in golf
  23. game — a match
  24. press — a publisher

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