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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. suit — clothes
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. suit — to fit
  5. swing — to play on
  6. squash — to crush
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mark — a grade
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cold — not warm
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. bulb — for light
  18. swing — in golf
  19. mark — a trace
  20. press — to push
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cold — an illness
  23. swing — music
  24. squash — the 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