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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. cell — a phone
  3. object — an aim
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. object — a thing
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. press — a publisher
  13. file — a document
  14. object — to protest
  15. file — a tool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. file — a line of people
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cell — in biology
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pass — a permit
  24. press — to push

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