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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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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. press — to push
  3. row — to paddle
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — magic
  6. track — a path
  7. charge — in control
  8. fall — the season
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. swing — in golf
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — a song
  13. fall — to drop
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. charge — a price
  16. swing — to play on
  17. charge — electricity
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — a publisher
  20. row — a line
  21. track — to keep track
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. spell — a short time
  24. fall — to drop

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