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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 120 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. swing — to play on
  4. spell — magic
  5. chip — for betting
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. spell — a short time
  8. press — a publisher
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. spell — letters
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. stand — to bear
  16. swing — in golf
  17. scale — in music
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. snap — to click
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. chip — to eat
  24. calf — of the leg

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