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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: drill · swing · press · perch · stand · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. swing — music
  3. stand — to bear
  4. drill — army training
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. swing — to play on
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. swing — in golf
  10. drill — the tool
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. press — a publisher
  14. drill — a practice
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish

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