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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. spring — the season
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. clip — a video
  5. suit — clothes
  6. spring — of water
  7. clip — to cut
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — electricity
  10. press — newspapers
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. clip — for paper
  14. press — to push
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rock — music
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. charge — a price
  20. spring — a coil
  21. press — a publisher
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — a stone
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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