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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. sharp — clever
  4. rule — a law
  5. stand — to bear
  6. swing — to play on
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. press — newspapers
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. rule — government
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. press — to push
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. swing — music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. press — a publisher
  24. sharp — with an edge

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