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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. game — wild animals
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rule — a law
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bulb — for light
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — to push
  14. staff — a stick
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — a match
  17. staff — employees
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rule — government
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. staff — employees
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — to play on

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