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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wind · face · wake · suit · racket · swing · toast · press

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. wake — a trail
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to point toward
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — a publisher
  9. suit — clothes
  10. press — to push
  11. toast — bread
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. face — to confront
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. swing — in golf
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wind — moving air
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. swing — music
  24. wind — moving air

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