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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. swing — to play on
  4. deal — to handle
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wind — moving air
  8. press — to push
  9. bank — of a river
  10. press — a publisher
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bank — for money
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bound — tied together
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bank — for money
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. kid — to tease
  23. kid — child
  24. bound — certain

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