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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. swing — to play on
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. charge — in control
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. press — newspapers
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — music
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. charge — a price
  17. capital — money
  18. press — to push
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. charge — electricity
  22. capital — a city
  23. lie — to recline
  24. press — a publisher

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