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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. spring — a coil
  5. swing — music
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cell — in biology
  8. press — a publisher
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. spring — of water
  13. press — to push
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cell — a phone
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. board — to get on
  18. swing — in golf
  19. wound — an injury
  20. swing — to play on
  21. spring — the season
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. rush — hurry

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