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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. press — to push
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. swing — to play on
  5. press — a publisher
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. suit — clothes
  8. swing — music
  9. rush — hurry
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — a trail
  16. suit — in cards
  17. capital — a city
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. suit — to fit
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bear — the animal

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