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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. press — a publisher
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rash — a series
  8. foot — a measure
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. swing — in golf
  15. court — of a king
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. swing — music
  19. rash — hasty
  20. court — for sport
  21. swing — to play on
  22. court — of law
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. press — to push

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