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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. swing — in golf
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. root — of a word
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. charge — in control
  11. club — for golf
  12. swing — to play on
  13. club — a group
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. club — for dancing
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. root — the cause
  19. press — newspapers
  20. root — of a plant
  21. press — to push
  22. swing — music
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stand — to bear

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