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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. swing — to play on
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. bear — the animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. press — a publisher
  7. swing — music
  8. wind — moving air
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. press — to push
  12. rash — a series
  13. swing — in golf
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — hasty
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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