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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. swing — music
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. game — wild animals
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. swing — to play on
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. band — a ring
  12. swing — in golf
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. press — newspapers
  16. current — electric
  17. press — to push
  18. press — a publisher
  19. band — a music group
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — a match
  22. suit — clothes
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. stand — on your feet

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