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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. craft — boats
  3. swing — to play on
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. chest — a box
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. press — newspapers
  9. rush — hurry
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. swing — music
  15. present — the time now
  16. craft — a skill
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. press — to push
  19. press — a publisher
  20. present — there
  21. pound — a weight
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. present — a gift
  24. chest — of your body

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