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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. lean — thin
  4. swing — in golf
  5. game — wild animals
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. press — newspapers
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. swing — to play on
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. game — a match
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. swing — music
  22. press — to push
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. racket — a loud noise

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