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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. cold — not warm
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — music
  5. mug — a face
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. press — newspapers
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — to crush
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. press — to push
  15. press — a publisher
  16. swing — in golf
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rush — hurry
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. fine — all right
  22. mug — to rob
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. mug — a cup

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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