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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — to play on
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. press — a publisher
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. deal — to handle
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. tear — from crying
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. scale — size or range
  18. tear — to rip
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. tear — from crying
  21. swing — in golf
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. scale — in music
  24. leaves — lets stay

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