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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. staff — employees
  3. date — the fruit
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. swing — in golf
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. last — to go on
  10. press — newspapers
  11. last — final
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. swing — to play on
  16. lean — thin
  17. press — a publisher
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. plane — a tool
  20. lean — to bend
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. press — to push
  23. last — finally
  24. plane — in geometry

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