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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ground — a position
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. degree — temperature
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ground — the earth
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. press — a publisher
  13. cue — a signal
  14. swing — to play on
  15. cue — for pool
  16. press — to push
  17. degree — an amount
  18. press — newspapers
  19. cue — a hint
  20. current — electric
  21. swing — music
  22. staff — employees
  23. degree — from a university
  24. ground — crushed

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