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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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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. press — newspapers
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. ball — a great time
  8. swing — in golf
  9. press — a publisher
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. swing — music
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. field — a subject
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pass — a permit
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. field — farmland
  20. ball — a dance
  21. press — to push
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. field — for sport

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