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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. current — happening now
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — to play on
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pop — to visit
  15. current — electric
  16. swing — music
  17. rash — hasty
  18. pop — soda
  19. current — of water
  20. saw — the tool
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pop — music
  23. rash — a series
  24. hide — to keep secret

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