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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. ball — a dance
  6. press — to push
  7. lean — thin
  8. swing — to play on
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. press — newspapers
  13. ball — a great time
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. mine — for digging
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. press — a publisher
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. rock — music

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