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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. swing — music
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. date — the fruit
  9. swing — in golf
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. dip — to sink
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bat — the animal
  20. press — to push
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. ball — a dance
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. dip — a sauce

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