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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. press — a publisher
  3. swing — to play on
  4. current — electric
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pound — a weight
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bear — the animal
  11. degree — temperature
  12. rule — government
  13. swing — in golf
  14. degree — from a university
  15. rule — a law
  16. current — of water
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. press — to push
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. current — happening now
  21. bear — the animal
  22. degree — an amount
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. pound — to hit hard

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