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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. press — to push
  3. swing — to play on
  4. rest — what's left
  5. press — a publisher
  6. rash — hasty
  7. stand — to bear
  8. date — the fruit
  9. swing — music
  10. pass — a permit
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rash — a series
  16. swing — in golf
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rest — what's left
  21. press — newspapers
  22. rest — a break
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. suit — clothes

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