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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. swing — to play on
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. object — an aim
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. can — to be able to
  8. press — newspapers
  9. mug — a face
  10. clip — for paper
  11. object — a thing
  12. swing — in golf
  13. can — a tin
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. clip — to cut
  18. can — a tin
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — to push
  21. clip — a video
  22. swing — music
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. object — to protest

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