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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. swing — in golf
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. swing — music
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. press — newspapers
  7. branch — a division
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cue — for pool
  11. suit — in cards
  12. press — to push
  13. bore — to drill
  14. press — a publisher
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — humankind
  17. bore — to tire
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. cue — a signal
  21. race — a contest
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. swing — to play on

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