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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 116 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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. press — a publisher
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — in golf
  11. drill — the tool
  12. chip — for betting
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. drill — army training
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. press — newspapers
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. kid — child
  19. drill — a practice
  20. stock — shares
  21. kid — to tease
  22. chip — to eat
  23. press — to push
  24. stock — goods

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