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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. mug — a face
  3. row — a line
  4. ball — a great time
  5. press — newspapers
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. chair — a leader
  8. press — to push
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. swing — music
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. press — a publisher
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mug — a cup
  15. row — to paddle
  16. pound — a weight
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mug — to rob
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ball — a dance
  21. swing — in golf
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. suit — to fit

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