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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. roll — a cake
  3. net — in sport
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. bound — certain
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. roll — a list
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bound — tied together
  20. swing — music
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. net — after costs
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. net — for catching

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