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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 116 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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. press — to push
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rock — music
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. swing — music
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. cap — of ice
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rash — a series
  15. cap — a hat
  16. press — newspapers
  17. swing — in golf
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cap — a lid
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. press — a publisher
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rash — hasty
  24. swing — to play on

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