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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  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. swing — in golf
  2. swing — to play on
  3. key — in music
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. face — part of the head
  6. hand — help
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. press — to push
  10. face — to confront
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. swing — music
  13. kick — in football
  14. toast — bread
  15. hand — in cards
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. press — newspapers
  21. key — the most important part
  22. face — to point toward
  23. key — for a lock
  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