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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 124 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. club — for golf
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. club — a group
  8. press — to push
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. fine — all right
  11. suit — in cards
  12. chest — of your body
  13. club — for dancing
  14. press — a publisher
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. press — newspapers
  20. chest — a box
  21. bass — the fish
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bass — low music
  24. suit — to fit

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