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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. swing — music
  3. spell — magic
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. last — to go on
  6. firm — decided
  7. hand — in cards
  8. last — final
  9. swing — to play on
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. spell — a short time
  12. press — newspapers
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. hand — help
  16. spell — letters
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. swing — in golf
  20. last — finally
  21. press — to push
  22. pass — a permit
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bay — a horse colour

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