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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 120 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bound — certain
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bound — obliged
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. press — newspapers
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. swing — music
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. press — to push
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. march — music
  21. current — of water
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bound — tied together

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