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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. press — a publisher
  3. vault — a safe
  4. press — to push
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rest — what's left
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. press — newspapers
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — to play on
  14. pound — a weight
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. spell — letters
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. rest — a break
  21. spell — magic
  22. bulb — for light
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. spell — a short time

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