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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 116 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. scale — size or range
  5. swing — in golf
  6. press — a publisher
  7. staff — employees
  8. scale — in music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. staff — employees
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. staff — a stick
  13. prune — to trim
  14. press — to push
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the fish
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. prune — to trim
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bass — the instrument

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