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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. swing — in golf
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. press — to push
  5. kick — in football
  6. swing — music
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. swing — to play on
  10. land — to come down
  11. press — newspapers
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. land — ground
  14. cap — a hat
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a lid
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to tire
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. land — a country
  24. press — a publisher

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