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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. charge — in control
  8. bulb — for light
  9. press — to push
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — to play on
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bulb — for light
  16. charge — a price
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. swing — music
  20. charge — electricity
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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