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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 120 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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Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. court — for sport
  4. firm — decided
  5. swing — music
  6. court — of law
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fork — in a road
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — to play on
  16. court — of a king
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. firm — a company
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. press — newspapers
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. firm — steady

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