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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 120 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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468
Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. swing — in golf
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. drill — the tool
  6. press — a publisher
  7. drill — army training
  8. deal — to handle
  9. swing — music
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. rest — a break
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. press — newspapers
  18. drill — a practice
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. foot — a measure
  22. swing — to play on
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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