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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pop — to visit
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — music
  6. last — final
  7. last — finally
  8. press — a publisher
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. swing — in golf
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. key — in music
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. press — to push
  21. key — for a lock
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. last — to go on
  24. press — newspapers

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