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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. cue — for pool
  3. swing — in golf
  4. cue — a hint
  5. current — electric
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mug — a cup
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. game — a match
  12. cue — a signal
  13. plane — a tool
  14. press — to push
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. game — wild animals
  17. swing — to play on
  18. current — happening now
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. current — of water
  23. press — newspapers
  24. swing — music

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