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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. root — of a word
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mug — a face
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. march — the month
  9. root — of a plant
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mug — a cup
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lie — to recline
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. march — music
  18. spell — letters
  19. press — to push
  20. root — the cause
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. swing — in golf
  24. march — the month

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