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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. clip — for paper
  6. clip — a video
  7. press — newspapers
  8. spring — a coil
  9. clip — to cut
  10. spring — of water
  11. press — to push
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. spring — the season
  15. root — the cause
  16. swing — to play on
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pound — a weight
  22. saw — the tool
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — in golf

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