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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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. mate — to breed
  3. land — a country
  4. press — newspapers
  5. swing — in golf
  6. press — a publisher
  7. net — in sport
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. swing — to play on
  11. mate — a friend
  12. current — electric
  13. mate — a partner
  14. swing — music
  15. current — of water
  16. press — to push
  17. land — to come down
  18. current — happening now
  19. toast — bread
  20. land — ground
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. net — after costs
  24. toast — the most admired

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