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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. lie — to recline
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. swing — in golf
  5. press — to push
  6. root — of a plant
  7. club — for dancing
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. swing — to play on
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. club — a group
  14. key — in music
  15. root — of a word
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. club — for golf
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. key — the most important part
  23. root — the cause
  24. bound — tied together

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