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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. suit — to fit
  3. swing — to play on
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wake — a trail
  6. drill — army training
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. swing — music
  12. press — a publisher
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — to push
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rest — a break
  24. swing — in golf

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