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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bound — obliged
  3. swing — to play on
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. clip — a video
  6. swing — music
  7. press — a publisher
  8. swing — in golf
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — the cause
  12. bound — certain
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. clip — for paper
  16. press — to push
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. root — of a word
  22. bound — tied together
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bore — to tire

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